(TibetanReview.net, Jan24, 2012) – In yet another firing on peaceful Tibetan protesters by Chinese security forces, a 49-year-old layman named Yonten was killed and at least three monks seriously injured on Jan 23 in Draggo (Chinese: Luhuo) County of Karze Prefecture, Sichuan Province, said Dharamsala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy and several other reports Jan 23. The centre did not rule out the possibility of the number of the dead being two while the exile Tibetan parliament and RFA.org (Radio Free Asia, Washington) Jan 23 have cited information saying six had been killed. One protester was reported to have attempted to set himself ablaze.
The centre said Yonten’s body was kept at Draggo Monastery, to which the three seriously injured monks belonged. The exile Tibetan parliament Jan 23 said scores of other Tibetans were injured. RFA.org cited a source as saying at least 32 were injured – five of them seriously – and hundreds detained. The injured were taken to Draggo Monastery.
The centre, as well as the Voice of Tibet(Oslo) radio news service Jan 23, said the Tibetans took to the streets in massive numbers after Chinese police and the paramilitary People’s Armed Police Force launched a crackdown and arrested a number of Tibetans in and around Draggo town. The Chinese were said to suspect the detainees of being behind a number of wall posters and leaflets which had appeared in the area in the past few days, warning of more Tibetan self-immolations if the Chinese government did not listen to their concerns.
Reports said the shooting occurred when the protesters arrived in front of the Chinese police station on their way to the local government offices. Tear gas was also reported to have been used.China’s official Xinhua news agency Jan 23 maintained that the protest turned violent when the crowd began attacking the police station with clubs and stones. It admitted that one protester was killed and claimed that five police officers were injured.
Another major provocation for the Tibetan protest was reported to be the festivity surrounding celebrations marking the Chinese Spring Festival, which was especially encouraged among the Tibetans even though they were in no mood for it in view of the spate of self-immolation deaths by protesting fellow-Tibetans over the past several months. The authorities distributed money and fireworks and gave orders that Tibetans must hold celebrations on Jan 22, the first day of the Chinese Year of the Dragon, reported theaustralian.com.au Jan 24. It quoted a Tibetan source as saying: “Officials have tried to force Tibetans to celebrate. They have cancelled holiday for the Tibetan New Year (falling on Feb 22) and are allowing it only for the Chinese New Year but Tibetans don’t want to celebrate so that creates tension.”
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said the protesters, many of them farmers and nomads, had carried Tibetan national flags and shouted slogans calling for Tibetan freedom.
The protest started in the morning while the firing took place around noon.
RFA.org cited sources as saying the number of protesters had grown to about 6,000 later on. To prevent news about the incident being reported, Internet connections to the town had been cut, said the theaustralian.com.au report.
