China forcefully drives away monks and nuns after illegal demolition of Larung Gar

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, August 12: Displaced monks and nuns of Larung Gar Buddhist institution are now being forced to return to their family homes by Chinese officials.

After the residences of monks and nuns of the worlds largest Tibetan Buddhist academy were forcefully reduced to rubbles, the large number of displaced monks and nuns are now being forced to return to their family homes by Chinese officials, reports RFA, Aug 11.

The proposed move of forcefully driving away the displaced monks and nuns are so far limited only to those from Tibetan Autonomous Region prefectures which include Lhasa, Ngari, Nagchu, and Chamdo, the report adds.

“The family members of monks and nuns from these areas in the TAR have been ordered to come to Larung Gar to take their relatives home,” RFA quoted an anonymous source as saying in its report.

According to the report, these monks and nuns were earlier rounded up by authorities, harassed with questions and forced to attend ‘political education’ classes. The sessions lasted for weeks and in some cases, even months.

They were warned of dire consequences to their families if they refused to leave including their right to collect caterpillar fungus, a fungus highly valued for its medical usage and an important source of income for the Tibetans.

“Monks and nuns coming from Driru county in Nagchu were among the first to be forced out,” the source added.

Despite the illegal demolition of the institution, the forcefully displaced monks and nuns of Larung Gar, heeding to their monastery leader’s plea, refrained from protesting.

To condemn the illegal demolition, exiled Tibetans across the world protested against the Chinese move.