China detains hundreds of Tibetans in Lhasa under “Strike Hard Campaign”
Peter Terpstra
Saturday, March 06 2010 @ 08:56 am UTC
With the launch of “Strike Hard” Campaign in the “Tibet Autonomous Region”
(‘TAR’) from 2nd March, the Chinese security forces had detained nearly 500
Tibetans alone from Lhasa city alone, according to reports given in the
state run web portal.
According to the official report dated 4 March 2010 given in the state run
web portal www.chinatibet.com, “during the campaign, the Lhasa City Public
Security Bureau Police Brigade (Ch: Lasa Gong An Ju Xing Jing Zhi Dui)
raided a total of 4,115 rented accommodations, thoroughly checked 60 high
prone areas where crime is concentrated, gathering areas for floating
population, places with complex social order and iniquity, carried out
comprehensive checks on a total of 7,347 non-permanent residents of the
city, raided more than 70 guest houses, internet cafes, entertainment centre
and bars; and detained a total of 435 people. Of these 7 were arrested on
theft and burglary, 3 persons on stealing motor bikes, 1 person for duping,
3 others suspected burglary accomplices.” There is no detail information or
reasons were given on the remaining people who were arbitrarily detained
during the “strike hard” campaign launched since 2 March 2010.
The same web news portal dated 5 March carried a report on the “Strike Hard”
campaign stating, “the Lhasa City PSB headquarters had mobilized 1,134 of
its personnel and more than other 300 security forces raiding in total 2,787
rented accommodations; 21 high prone areas; 71 Karaoke bars, guest houses,
internet cafes, bars; confiscated 12 knives and 6 banned publications and
detained 49 suspects without “three no” (Ch: San Wu)” The latter refers to
Identity card, household registration card (Ch: Hukou) and Temporary stay
permit (Ch: Zian Zhu Zheng). The report also said that a nun was detained
but no detail was given.
According to our sources, in the past few days the movement of monks from
three major monasteries in and around Lhasa city: Drepung, Gaden and Sera
were restricted for indefinite period, however, the monasteries’ staffs
dealing with food supplies to these monasteries were known to have been
issued special permit by the authorities for their daily duties.
To spur up further restriction and crackdown on potential dissent ahead of
sensitive anniversary, Lhasa Neighborhood Committee under the Lhasa
Metropolitan area had formed a new “security escort staff ” in each and
every sub-districts since 1 March. This new body will work in conjunction
with the local public security officials. The primary objective of this new
body was cited as “to maintain social order, thorough inspection and
tracking down of suspects, and detaining those without “three no” viz.
Identity card, household registration card (Ch: Hukou) and Temporary stay
permit and prompt reporting of such cases to the local police station. The
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) believe that this new
requirement signals authorities’ attempt to target and stranglehold those
Tibetans from outside “TAR” who are on visit to the holy city for pilgrimage
or engaged in businesses as many of those Tibetans were known to be actively
involved in the Spring 2008 protests in Lhasa.
TCHRD condemns this campaign in strongest terms and calls the government of
the People’s Republic of China to immediately end this infamous campaign
which under the guise of fighting crimes and upholding stability violates
and abuses many fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people through
arbitrary arrest, detention, interrogation, restriction on the free movement
of people. TCHRD believes that the Chinese authorities are using this
campaign as double-edged sword to fight crimes and uphold stability as
stated objective but at the same time it is using this campaign to silence,
intimidate and stifle political dissent ahead of sensitive anniversary.
source tchrd