Release O'dho and Apha Bhomo
O'dho and Apha: A Revolution in Making
The Nyagchuka County Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials arrested two Tibetan women, O’dho (left) and Apha Bhomo (below), on 19 July 2007 allegedly for leading a peaceful demonstration and motivating others to join them in support of the wrongly imprisoned Buddhist teacher, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. The women, both in their late 50’s and residents of Othok Village, Nyagchuka County, Kardze "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture" ("TAP"), Sichuan Province, are reportedly being detained at Nyagchuka County PSB Detention Centre. As a further action to curb nationalism of the Tibetan women, the local authorities barred sons of O’dho, Kalsang Sungrab and Tenzin Tsoknyi, from attending their respective schools and their families’ movements are also restricted.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is a highly respected Tibetan Buddhist teacher who spearheaded the activities for environmental protection, preservation of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. He was arrested on false charges of carrying out series of bombing incidents in 2002 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Prior to his imprisonment, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche had built a monastery called Kham Nalanda Thekchen Jangchup Choeling (below). On 18 July 2007, a ceremony was in session for the monastery's newly constructed assembly prayer hall (Tib: Dhukhang). The monks were in the process of enthroning a portrait of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche when Chinese officials interrupted the assembly and objected others from enthroning the portrait.
A large number of public present during the ceremony exhibited clear signs of disapproval of the authorities' harsh ruling and for interrupting the ceremony. In the aftermath of the incident, there was a huge public protest by the local Tibetans; some went to lodge their complaint to the higher authorities in Chengdu, while another group of Tibetans went to lodge a similar complaint to Nyagchuka PSB officials.
The constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) guarantees freedom of expression and religious freedom, but in practicality these rights are profoundly curtailed. Following O'dho and Apha's arrest, there has been continuous political unrest in the area. Chinese officials have also arrested Rongye Adak and many others, suspecting them of "splittist" activities when all they did was merely exercise their freedom of expression.
Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) strongly condemns Nyagchuka County PSB’s abuse of rights of the Tibetan people. As one of the Co-Chair of Human Rights Campaign Working Group of International Tibet Support Network (ITSN), Dr. B. Tsering, TWA’s President, is in the process of drafting a protest letter with ITSN’s Director and International Coordinator to express our grave concerns regarding the arbitrary detention of O’dho, Apha Bhomo, Rongye Adak and Adruk Lopo. The letter would be sent to the PRC’s Ministry of Justice and to the Governor of Sichuan Province on behalf of all Tibetan NGOs and Tibet Support Groups (TSG). The letter will also be sent to the entire TSG network worldwide so that they can write to their respective Government representatives.
TWA and the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) are also jointly registering a case of arbitrary detention of the two Tibetan women to the United Nation’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Tibetan People’s Movement is organizing a candle light vigil and signature campaign in Dharamsala, India, on 28 August 2007 for the immediate release of O’dho, Apha Bhomo, Rongye Adak and Adruk Lopo. There will also be an internationally coordinated campaign by all the regional TWAs on 2nd September 2007 for the same purpose.
TWA calls upon the International Olympics Committee to hold China accountable for all the promises of freedom and human rights that they made prior to receiving the bid to host 2008 Olympics. Contrary to China's promise, human rights situation in China has worsen over the past year. TWA also urges the United Nations and the International community to support us in our effort to release O'dho, Apha Bhomo, Rongye Adak, Adruk Lopo and other prisoners of conscience.