Detentions reported after Lhasa immolations
An unspecified number of Tibetans have been detained following the twin self-immolation protests in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa.
Two Tibetan men, both believed to be young, staged a joint self-immolation protest near Jhokhang Temple at Barkhor (Chinese: Parkor) Street in Lhasa. Dorjee Tsetan died while Dhargye is hospitalized with burn injuries.
Chukey, the owner of the restaurant where Dhargye used to work as a cashier, was arrested along with his wife and family, according to sources. Our sources also identified some of the detained Tibetans as Dolma Kyab, Nyurgyog, Khambey, Tamdrin Kyab and Sangdrak; all of them belong to Ngaba Prefecture.
Sources tell TCHRD that Tibetans who fail to show their temporary stay permit (Chinese: Zan Zhu Zheng) – that make their stay legal in Lhasa – are being detained. The detainees include Tibetans visiting Lhasa on a temporary basis from other Tibetan areas outside Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Tibetans who are from Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) Prefecture are especially targeted apparently due to the fact that Dhargye hails from Ngaba. Even those Tibetans who were wearing traditional dresses on Wednesday (30 May) were also arrested, sources said.
The regulation requiring non-TAR visitors to carry temporary resident permits while visiting Lhasa came into effect in 2009. This regulation is often used by the authorities to justify the restrictions imposed on the movement of Tibetans especially those who come to Lhasa from Tibetan provinces of Amdo and Kham. In future, restrictions on non-TAR Tibetan visitors to Lhasa may increase considerably with the May 27 immolation protests staged by non-TAR Tibetans in Lhasa.
Sources also say that police are carrying out searches in guesthouses and other rented accommodations. It is feared that many more will be detained during these raids.
Almost three days after the self-immolations, on 29 May 2012, the head of TAR Public Security Bureau ordered the security personnel manning police stations and security checkpoints, including patrol personnel, to be on high alert. (For more on this, please visit: http://epaper.chinatibetnews.com/xzrb/html/2012-05/30/content_359199.htm)
On 31 May 2012, at a video conference held to discuss the work situation on social stability, the TAR Party Vice-Secretary, responsible for the stability maintenance in TAR, stressed the importance of safeguarding social stability by crushing even the slightest stirring of instability or disturbances – and to strictly ensure that matters, however small, medium, or big, are dealt with and not allowed to gain momentum. (For the report please visit: http://www.chinatibetnews.com/zhengfuzaixian/2012-06/01/content_982287.htm)
The authorities have increased additional restrictions, in the form of beefing up the strength of security personnel and putting restrictions on movements, on Tibetans living in Lhasa, according to sources.
