Tibetan Freedom Writers & China’s Crackdown

On Friday April 23rd, 2010, well known Tibetan writer and intellectual, Tagyal (pen name Shogdung ཞོགས་དུང་), was arrested in Xining.

Shogdung’s arrest is clearly part of a larger trend by the Chinese government to silence prominent Tibetan writers, artists and educators.  As in any society writers, and artists in Tibet have become the voice of the common person. China’s recent arrest of Shogdung demonstrates that despite China’s claims that it grants “freedom of expression” to all citizens, in Tibet today speaking freely, even on paper is a serious crime.

One friend of Shogdung wrote in a blog post on www.sangdhor.com (now inaccessible) that the reason behind his arrest was,  publishing a book, Distinguishing Sky from Earth, in which he criticized the Chinese govenrment for it’s brutal crackdown on Tibetan protests in March 2008.

One Tibetan blogger also wrote that Shogdung may have been arrested for his participation is writing an open letter to the victims of Kyegundo earthquake, where he and 7 others criticized authorities for their ineffective and possibly “corrupt” rescue and relief operations.

For more information on Shogdung and to read the fully translated open letter visit: High Peaks Pure Earth.

As China continues to deny Tibetans their fundamental right of expression, Tibetan writers and artists have become very popular critics of the Chinese government, especially among Tibetan students. Despite China’s best efforts, Tibetan writers continue to defy the Chinese government by speaking out.

List of known Tibetan Writers in detention:

Dolma Kyab. Dolma Kyab. Author of “Himalaya on Stir” (originally written in Chinese under the title: Sao dong de Ximalayashan). Serving a ten year prison sentence for a book that was unpublished at the time of arrest in March 2005. Take action: http://bit.ly/9vtYjb

Tshe ring Don grub. This writer lost his government job in Rma lho archives in October 2009, a few months after privately publishing his novel “Rlung dmar ‘ur ‘ur”. For more information: http://bit.ly/9kjtf8

Tashi Rabten (pen name: Therang). A student of Northwest National Minorities’ University in Lanzhou. Published a book called “Khrang yig” (Letters of Blood). Arrested in April 2010. Take action: http://bit.ly/97XeIT

Sherab Gyatso. Author of Nga tsho sad ran (published: 2007). Imprisoned in 2008. News of his release was given by High Peaks Pure Earth in January 2009. See: http://bit.ly/9uWMAW

Druklo (pen name: Shokjangs Zhogs ljang). A student of Northwest National Minorities’University in Lanzhou. Detained/arrested in April 2010. Take action: http://bit.ly/97XeIT

Bya mdo Rin bzang. This writer was “lost” in the summer of 2009. Author of “Nga’i pha yul dang zhi ba’i gcing grol” (My Home and Peaceful Liberation) in 2008. For more information: http://bit.ly/asU6xT

Kunga Tseyang (pen name Gangnyi). A monk from Labrang monastery, writer, photographer and environmental activist. His arrest was reported in March 2009. For more information:  http://bit.ly/cmc9nk also see: http://bit.ly/bQVgoR

Kunchok Tsephel. An Internet writer and the founder and editor of the Tibetan language website www.tibetcm.com. Detained in February 2009 and sentenced to 15 year of imprisonment in November 2009. Take Action: http://bit.ly/8iOQZL



One Responseto “Tibetan Freedom Writers & China’s Crackdown”

1. Easy Scholarships says:

   September 7, 2010 at 10:00 pm

   It’s sad that the government’s of this world want to “shut up” people like Mr. Tagyal who speak the TRUTH, even when “they” don’t want to hear it!

   I will be praying for this guy and the other people who are persecuted for speaking out against the wrongdoings of this world…

   Sincerely,

   Thomas Anderson