Statement of Speaker Karma Chophel on Lithang turmoil

For immediate release
2 August 2007

THE STANDING COMMITTEE of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile is very concerned to know about the happenings at Bumyag Qu, Litang Distict, Karze Prefecture of Sichuan Province yesterday on the occasion of the annual Horse-race Festival. According to our information, as the programme of the festival was about to begin, a local Tibetan by the name of Runggye Adak made an announcement on the public address system in which he called for a visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet as soon as possible, the quick release of His Eminence the Panchen Lama, independence for Tibet and demanded a halt in the infighting for water, pasture and the picking of the medicinal plant called 'yartsa gunbu'. He also addressed the large gathering and asked them whether they agreed with his demands or not. The public responded enthusiastically in his support. There upon Runggye Adak was apprehended and taken to the police station.

Soon after, a large gathering of a few thousand people went to the police station and wanted to know from the authorities whether the Tibetans had a right to air their grievances or not. As the public broke the iron-gate and entered the courtyard, some police personnel took out their pistols. At this the Tibetans became more enraged and some of them shed their upper garments. They bared their chests and dared the police to shoot. In order to intimidate the crowd the police fired machine guns, but fortunately, no one seems to have been hurt. After a time, some police authorities asked the crowd to disperse, as it was already 9.30pm local time i.e. 12.00 O'clock midnight IST. They also promised that Runggye Adak would be released at 2.00 pm (local time) the next day.

As per our latest information at 4.00 pm IST, a large crowd of about five thousand people have gathered in front of the police station but Runggye Adak has not been released. Some four Tibetan leaders had gone inside to talk to the authorities. Eight armoured vehicles are said to be on the stand-by near the crowd. The most alarming development is that the police had rounded off about 200 people in the courtyard of the police station and presently are threatening the rest of the crowd to disperse or they would shoot the 200 people. It seems that the others have vowed not to leave if Adak and the 200 people are not released unconditionally.

Our immediate concern is that as our people are in a desperate mood due to the long years of wrong and repressive policies of the Chinese in Tibet, there may be an emotional outburst, which will give the Chinese police the excuse to shoot the Tibetans and make them an example to the many such cases happening in Tibet. We fear that there may be a massacre of our people and many others put behind bars. We therefore appeal to the international community including Governments, Parliaments, the UN, the International Olympic Committee, NGOs and all right thinking people to call upon the Chinese authorities to show restraint and not resort to violence on our people. This should be done most urgently, as the situation is very volatile.

We also advice our people not to lose reason and act with constraint. We admire and respect the courage and spirit of our brethren in Tibet.

(T.T. Karma Chophel)
Speaker

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