Tibet urges world to intervene immediately

DHARAMSALA December 6, 2002: The Central Tibetan Administration deeply regrets the Chinese authorities act of passing death sentence on two Tibetan political activists in Karze, now part of Sichuan province.

We are surprised that this unfortunate sentence came just when the release of Tibetan three Tibetan political prisoners and visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama s delegation to China and Tibet had raised hopes about Beijing's willingness to resolve the issue of Tibet through dialogues. We sincerely hope that this act will not have a negative impact on the contacts that have been established and the negotiations that we hope will follow.

Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, Kalon Tripa, who is on a visit to the United States, said, "Given the background of Tulku Tenzin Delek and Mr. Lobsang Dhondup, the authorities seem to be using un-corroborated charges to clampdown on people who work for the preservation of Tibetan religion, culture and society." Professor Samdhong Rinpoche expressed his concern that the two Tibetans did not receive a fair trial and has urged Tibet Support Groups around the world to request their governments to ask the Chinese authorities to halt the implementation of the sentence and to provide the two Tibetans with a fair trial as guaranteed by the Chinese constitution.

Whatever Beijing s explanation for this volte-face, we suspect that it is actually a new strategy to radicalize the Tibetan movement so that it can crack down hard with impunity on the Tibetan people s expression of their views. Such a mistaken policy is fraught with potential for unleashing an unending cycle of strife and instability.

On December 2, the Karze People s Intermediate Court handed down death sentence on Trulku Tenzin Delek and Lobsang Dhondup after a summary trial. They were charged with masterminding the Chengdu bomb blast of April 3, 2002, and had been taken into custody on April 7.

Trulku Tenzin Delek, one of the most highly revered spiritual figures in Karze, is well known for his open and steadfast loyalty to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He has long since engaged in campaigns to improve the plight of the Tibetan people and rejuvenate the Tibetan culture and language.

A report issued by the Dharamsala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy suggests that Trulku accused the court of false allegation and unfair trial. As the court read out his sentence, he shouted, "Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama."

The human rights monitor reports that the Chinese authorities in the recent years have targeted spiritual leaders for particularly harsh suppression. The spiritual leaders abiding opposition to Chinese rule and their influence with the local people mean that China can never hope to intimidate the Tibetan sense of nationalism as long as their spiritual leaders remain strong.

We appeal to the international community to put pressure on the Chinese government to rescind the death sentence. The Tibetan people are committed to resolving the problem of Tibet through peaceful negotiations, and we call upon the Chinese leadership to reciprocate accordingly.

Wang Lixiong, the author of the bestselling book, Yellow Peril, and a Chinese scholar living in China and one who frequently writes extensive articles on the Tibet issue said, "Tulku Tenzi Delek is a lama who is respected by all the people. By putting the label of a terrorist on him and putting him on trial and clamping the death sentence on him the Chinese police might think they have accomplished something great." Wang Lixiong made these comments on a Chinese language website. Wang Lixiong said that he does not believe that Tulku Tenzin Delek is involved in the bomb blasts. "By this act the Chinese police have used one arrow to kill two deer. The Chinese police have cut Tulku Tenzin Delek down to size and have claimed success in solving the mystery of the April bomb blasts," Wang Lixiong said.

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(The following was written by Wang Lixiong, one of China's foremost Tibet researchers. Although posted on 5 December by a friend on http://www.hjclub.com/TextBody/113131.asp, it was evidently written much earlier. This is a Department of Information and International Relations' translation of the original in Chinese.)

A Living Buddha, who is revered highly by the local populace, masterminded seven terrorist incidents. This is the year's most important case to be solved by the Public Security Bureau of Ganze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan.

The Living Buddha's lay name is Ahan Zhaxi (Pinyin transliteration of Ngawang Tashi). His ordination name is Tenzin Delek. He is known also as Aten Phuntsok. He was recognized as a Living Buddha in India in the 1980s. But the Chinese authorities have never recognized him as a reincarnated lama, and insist on referring to him as Ahan Zhaxi. So far, the court has not made a final ruling on his case. Nevertheless, the Ganze Prefecture has already begun the campaign of accusation and persecution against him.

The story surrounding the case goes like this. On 3 April, there was a bomb attack in the main square of Chengdu City. Ahan's distant relative carried out the explosion. This man had been Ahan's attendant in the past. He testified that Ahan had directed him to carry out the attack. Subsequently, on 7 April, the police arrested Ahan and interrogated him, in the course of which Ahan confessed to having masterminded this and six earlier unsolved cases of bomb blasts in Ganze. The matter would have ended there had not the local populace of Ganze accused the authorities of floating a one-sided story.

I have visited Ganze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture many times, and have long known Ahan Zhaxi. I also came to know first-hand about the enormous prestige he enjoyed among the Tibetan populace of southern Ganze. Ahan had visited pastoral and agricultural areas to give spiritual teachings. He was involved in a number philanthropic activities, including the opening of schools for orphans, helping the old people who had no family to support them, building roads and bridges, environment protection, and campaigns against smoking, drinking, gambling, taking of life, etc. Those who have given up these vices after receiving his teaching look up to him as a father who had given them a new lease of life. I visited Ahan in the past and was strongly impressed by his Spartan lifestyle. He used for himself very little of the offerings he received from his devotees. Naturally, when I heard the story of his having masterminded the bomb blasts, I could not believe it, far less those who revere him.

Being always on bad terms with the local authorities and the Public Security Bureau, Ahan had to flee twice earlier to hide at the homes of local Tibetans. This prompted a petition on, bearing tens of thousands of signatures and thumb impressions of the local people, on his behalf. The petitioners' delegation traveled to Beijing and demanded the Central Government protection for Ahan. As a result, the local authorities were unable to lay hand on Ahan. Now the bomb blast has presented them with just the opportunity for which they had waited so long, the opportunity to punish him. A massive number of local people are cynical: Isn't this a case of the framing of an innocent man? On the one hand, the authorities are now able to humiliate Ahan. On the other hand, the local Public Security Bureau is able to show the result of their investigation of the long unsolved cases. This is the case of killing two birds with one stone. That Ahan confessed to the charge is not difficult to understand if one has even a modicum of understanding of the Communist establishment, in which it is easy to extort confession by tormenting the mind and body. The Chinese Communist Party's history is replete with countless cases of innocents being found guilty. How can you convince anyone that this will not be repeated now?

I cannot say with absolute certitude that Ahan was wrongfully convicted. Although I had met him in the past, we "can know only the physical appearance, not the mind." Having said this, I am firmly convinced that this is the case of manipulation in the black box. I believe Ahan should be given the opportunity and right to defend himself in public. Moreover, people should be given the right to suspect, question and investigate the matter. Speaking for his superiors, the head of Nyagchu township issued the following threat to the populace: "Whoever speaks in favour of Ahan will be treated as guilty as Ahan himself." Under such a circumstance, even if Ahan Zhaxi is really guilty, these thousands of people will never believe the ruling. Moreover, this incident will go down as a history of Chinese government's oppression of Tibetans.

Wang Lixiong

(Translated and issued by the Department of Information and International Relations Dharamsala)

6 December 2002