DHARAMSHALA, MARCH 24: Chinese authorities in Tibet’s Sog County have arrested two Tibetan monks of Sog Tsenden monastery in separate incidents this month, Ngawang Tharpa, a Tibetan with contacts in the region, said.
Gendun Drakpa, 20, a monk of Sog Tsenden monastery has been arrested on March 14 for reportedly burning the Chinese national flag and writing ‘Tibet is independent’ (in Tibetan) on the gate of the quarter inhabited by Chinese work-team officials permanently stationed in the monastery. Gendun’s family – Yangsitsang – resides at Yange village, Yakla township, Sog County.
Another monk of Sog Tsenden monastery, Choeying Kalden, 20, was arrested on March 16 for allegedly sending an essay critical of the Chinese government to fellow monks. Choeying’s family – Lhakyiltsang – resides at Yeggu village, Yakla township, Sog County.
It is not known where the two are currently held, Tharpa said, adding that his source had also told him that the authorities are randomly arresting several Tibetans and subjecting them to long hours of interrogation and torture. “My source who did not want to be named said that the picture or a text in Tibetans’ cellphone is enough an excuse for the authorities to arrest a Tibetan and torture him,” said Tharpa.
Tharpa also said that the Sog County Police officials including Pasang Damdul have forced the ailing mother of Namgyal Tsuiltrim, another monk of the Sog Tsenden monastery, to return from Chengdu where she had travelled for emergency medical treatment.
