A major Tibetan monastery has been sealed off by armed troops following an increase in security after celebrations last week over a US award for the region's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, an activist group said yesterday.
The Drepung monastery in Lhasa is still surrounded by armed troops, according to the International Campaign for Tibet, a Washington-based pro-Tibet human rights group, citing local sources and several reports. Hundreds of monks may still be inside the monastery while others may have been detained or injured, it said.
Another major monastery in the capital is also closed, the group said.
Last Wednesday's ceremony awarding the Dalai Lama the US Congress' highest civilian honor -- bestowed by US President George W. Bush -- was a setback to Beijing's efforts to undermine support for the spiritual leader, who they regard as a threat to the unity of China and their continued rule over the region.
He remains popular among Tibetans since fleeing into exile 48 years ago after a failed uprising, and has increased his international standing recently by meeting with world leaders.
The International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement that security on roads in and out of Lhasa had been stepped up and residents had been ordered not to carry out religious activities or further celebrations.
Several Tibetans were also temporarily detained after celebrations in a monastery in Gansu Province, the group said. Citing eyewitness reports, it said there may have been injuries during clashes with police.
A Tibetan source quoted by the group said the increased security road checkpoints and re-strictions on travel was similar to March 1989 when martial law was imposed following protests against the Chinese government.
"The tension in Lhasa and other areas of Tibet coinciding with the Gold Medal ceremony and the Party Congress in Beijing, takes place in the context of an intensified political campaign in Tibetan areas against the Dalai Lama," the International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement.
A monk who answered the telephone at the Drepung monastery said he was not clear about the situation. The other monastery in Lhasa could not be reached. The monastery in Gansu said no protest had taken place last week.
A male official at the Lhasa police office did not confirm or deny the news, but said there may be a news conference on the issue. Other government and Communist Party departments could not be reached for comment.
Security around China was increased before and during the week-long 17th Chinese Communist Party Congress which ended on Monday in Beijing, but the International Campaign for Tibet said security was tighter than normal in Tibet.
The congress makes a point of stressing the unity of China, especially for regions such as Tibet.
Australians were downloading virtual private networks (VPNs) in droves, while one of the world’s largest porn distributors said it was blocking users from its platforms as the country yesterday rolled out sweeping online age restriction. Australia in December became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on teenagers using social media. A separate law now requires artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot services to keep certain content — including pornography, extreme violence and self-harm and eating disorder material — from minors or face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$34.6 million). The country also joined Britain, France and dozens of US states requiring
Hungarian authorities temporarily detained seven Ukrainian citizens and seized two armored cars carrying tens of millions of euros in cash across Hungary on suspicion of money laundering, officials said on Friday. The Ukrainians were released on Friday, following their detention on Thursday, but Hungarian officials held onto the cash, prompting Ukraine to accuse Hungary’s Russia-friendly government of illegally seizing the money. “We will not tolerate this state banditism,” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said. The seven detained Ukrainians were employees of the Ukrainian state-owned Oschadbank, who were traveling in the two armored cars that were carrying the money between Austria and
Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani on Friday after dissolving the Kosovar parliament said a snap election should be held as soon as possible to avoid another prolonged political crisis in the Balkan country at a time of global turmoil. Osmani said it is important for Kosovo to wrap up the upcoming election process and form functional institutions for political stability as the war rages in the Middle East. “Precisely because the geopolitical situation is that complex, it is important to finish this electoral process which is coming up,” she said. “It is very hard now to imagine what will happen next.” Kosovo, which declared
MORE BANS: Australia last year required sites to remove accounts held by under-16s, with a few countries pushing for similar action at an EU level and India considering its own ban Indonesia on Friday said it would ban social media access for children under 16, citing threats from online pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud and Internet addiction. “Accounts belonging to children under 16 on high-risk platforms will start to be deactivated, beginning with YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox,” Indonesian Minister of Communications and Digital Meutya Hafid said. “The government is stepping in so that parents no longer have to fight alone against the giants of the algorithm. Implementation will begin on March 28, 2026,” she said. The social media ban would be introduced in stages “until all platforms fulfill their
RSS