DHARAMSHALA, February 12: Chinese authorities have arrested six Tibetans including a fifteen year old juvenile for allegedly writing “Tibet is an independent country” on ice sheet on February 2, according to Ngawang Tharpa, a Tibetan living in Dharamshala with close contact in Tibet.
The six Tibetans, all under the age of 20 were identified as Azang, Dorjee, Margong, Sidsum, Lhakpa and his younger brother Jamyang Gyatso. They are currently detained at Sog County Detention Center.
They had reportedly written the slogan on the surface of frozen Gyalmo Ngulchu using sand. All the six boys are native of Trido Township in Sog County.
Ngawang Tharpa also reported that on the same day and place, in another incident, four Tibetan monks from Dowa Shartsang monastery were arrested by Chinese authorities for distributing and pasting documents reading “Tibet is an independent country”.
The four monks are Tsultrim Passang, 20; Lobsang Yeshi, 15; Kalsang Jampa, 22 and Kalsang Dorjee, 23. The current condition and whereabouts of the four monks remain unknown.
