-The Norwegian Tibet Committee is seriously concerned about the curfew imposed on the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, says Chungdak Koren, right, Secretary General of the Norwegian Tibet Committee. The curfew was declared by the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and the People’s Armed Police (PAP) of the government of the ‘Tibet Autononomous Region’ in the aftermath of the protest from the monks of the monastery on 25 November 2005. (30-NOV-05)
The protest came about following the visit of the ‘work team’ members on 23 November 2005. The ‘work team’ of Chinese government while conducting ‘patriotic re-education’ in the monastery, forced the monks to sign a document denouncing His Holiness the Dalai Lama and stating that Tibet is part of the People´s Republic of China. When the monks refused, the ‘work team’ members arrested and expelled the five leading monks of the monastery.
-A serious violation of Tibetans’ right to freedom of religion
Following this incident, on 25 November the Drepung monks gathered at the monastery’s courtyard to protest against the ‘work team’. They protested against the arrest and expulsion of the five leading monks. They stated that they cannot be in the monastery and criticise their root teacher – His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The ‘work team’ team members reported the matter to the Chinese government. Under the pretext of taking precautionary measures, PSB and PAP were ordered to be on surveillance in the monastery and declare curfew in the monastery. This is a serious violation of Tibetan people’s right to the freedom of religion, concludes Koren. -The Norwegian Tibet Committee urges the Norwegian government to raise this urgent matter with the Chinese government.
Contact: Den norske Tibet Komité
