By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, April 20: A senior Tibetan religious leader arrested in 2008 for resisting Chinese government’s political reeducation campaign at his nunnery was released by the Chinese authorities in uncertain health condition from Mianyang Prison near Chengdu on April 17, reported RFA.
According to sources, the prison authorities secretly escorted Trulku Phurbu Tsering, also known as Buruna Rinpoche, to his home in Dhartsedo, Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture on April 17.
The religious leader’s health became a major concern for rights groups in 2014 when reports came out from Tibet about his poor health in Mianyang prison. A Tibetan who visited the prison told the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy that he saw Rinpoche in poor health. “At first I couldn’t recognize him as he had become so weak, almost emaciated,” TCHRD quoted the source as saying in 2014.
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“In the past few years, Rinpoche’s health was reportedly very poor due to torture and a poor diet during the time that he served his sentence,” RFA quoted a source as saying.
Another source in exile confirmed the news of his release and said that he was now staying in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan province, where he is expected to undergo some medical check-ups and treatment’.
Dhartsedo Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Tulku Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche to over eight years in prison on 23 December 2009. Along with him, 54 nuns of Pangri nunnery were also sentenced to varying prison terms.
Rinpoche is a highly respected Tulku (Living Buddha) of Tehor Kardze Monastery. He is also the chief spiritual preceptor and the head of Pang-ri and Ya-tseg Nunneries in Kardze.
Chinese police arrested Rinpoche on 18 May 2008 for ‘alleged’ possession of weapons. Police alleged a pistol and more than 100 bullets and cartridges were found under a bed in Rinpoche’s living room but he denied the allegation, saying he was framed. Rinpoche’s lawyer Li Fangping told AP then that his client was forced into making a confession after a police interrogation that lasted four days and threats that his wife and son would be detained if he did not comply.
Rinpoche also ran a home for the elderly and taken care of orphans and handicapped children.
Sources say Rinpoche was framed under false charge because the Chinese police suspected his influence over the nuns of Pangri and Yatseg nunneries who had carried out a peaceful protest against the Chinese government’s “patriotic education” campaign four days before his arrest.
