By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, September 8: A Tibetan monk was arrested in yet another solo protest on Monday in Ngaba County, a restive region known for anti government protests including self immolations since 2008.
Videos of the protest by Lobsang Kalsang, a monk of Kirti Monastery in Ngaba, show him raising a framed portrait of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama above his head as he shouted slogans that were inaudible.
Kanyag Tsering, exile based Kirti Monastery’s spokesperson on information from Tibet, confirmed that Lobsang Kalsang, 19, called for the long life of the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet.
What sounded like screams of support coming from the direction from where the videos were taken could be heard as the monk was being taken away by at least 8 policemen in uniform and plain clothes. The smashing sound of breaking glass could be heard as the framed portrait of the Tibetan leader after fell on the ground.
Policemen in riot gears could also be seen stopping people from gathering around the monk being taken away. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Lobsang Kalsang had joined Kirti monastery at a tender age, and studies Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language. He passed the class of Dialectic and Logic last year and was preparing for higher studies.
His brother, Losang Tenpa (21), also from Kirti Monastery was arrested last year and currently is serving a two-year sentence for ‘separatist activities’. He was sentenced on November 7, 2014, along with another Kirti monk, Lobsang Gyatso (20), for shouting slogans and carrying a portrait of the Dalai Lama while protesting. Gyatso was sentenced to serve three years in prison.
Kalsang’s parents, Tsering Tenkho and Lhakyi, live in division 2 of Meruma Township, which has been in the news lately for series of solo protests and self immolations by Tibetans. Last month, a Tibetan woman named Dorjee Dolma from Division 2 of Meruma Township was arrested for carrying out a solo protest. Her whereabouts still is unknown.
