By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, July 10: The disappearance and subsequent death of a middle aged Tibetan man in the Midwestern U.S state of Minnesota has sparked outrage amongst the immigrant Tibetan community there after authorities had reportedly mishandled and acted only after repeated demands for action.
The body of the deceased Rinzin Dorjee who worked at the University of Minnesota clinic was retrieved from the Mississippi river after local police conducted boat sweep of the river. The body of the 55 year old man was found after 37 hours (at 1:10 pm, July 9). He was reported to be missing by a co-worker on Thursday, July 7.
The lax in action is apparent as authorities and the UoMN police did not act swiftly even after blood of the deceased was discovered at the workplace. The CCTV footage of the clinic last showed Rinzin leaving by himself, wearing the hospital scrubs.
The incident has since led to local Tibetan community expressing outrage with more than 80 Tibetans gathering at the UoMN police station demanding answers as to why such laxity in action took place. Boat sweep of the river and K-9 sniffer dogs were only made available after repeated pleas by the Tibetan community there.
The Tibetans had performed a search by themselves earlier for almost 12 hours and found belongings of the deceased by the river according to a local Tibetan Jigme Ugen who spoke with the local police on the community’s behalf.
Expressing dismay over the role of the authorities, he wrote, “The police, a local politician, the employer and the facility security failed this missing person. I know for sure that these figures of authority would have handled the entire situation differently if those affected weren’t people of color immigrants with English as second language. I’m appalled, angry and we won’t back down,” on his face book page.
He further mentioned that the Tibetan community is, “angry, confused and frustrated. The police have shown absolutely no sense of urgency and failed to follow simple protocols to help assist a grieving family. Answers are demanded from the police, a local politician, the employer and the facility security.”
The mystery surrounding the death of the Tibetan man has brewed outrage and grief in the Minnesota, home to one of the largest community of immigrant Tibetans in North America. Any new updates or the details of the on-going investigation are not made public as of now.
