Tibetan monk from restive Ngaba disappears after detention

DHARAMSALA, 25 Oct: A Tibetan monk from Kirti monastery in restive Ngaba county in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo has disappeared after he was whisked away by the Chinese authorities earlier this month.

According to Kanyak Tsering, spokesperson of the exile seat of Kirti monastery here in Dharamsala, Lobsang Choephel, a monk from Kirti monastery was detained by the Chinese authorities at the beginning of October. 

The whereabouts of the 34-year-old Tibetan monk, the charges on which he was arrested by the Chinese police remain unknown, the spokesperson said and added that few other monks from the monastery were also detained and went missing around the same time as Choephel.

Choephlel was previously arrested and held in detention over four months when the Chinese authorities first detained him in 2008 from Lhasa and later from Ngaba in 2011.

Born to father Rikgo and mother Tsering Kyi, Choephel hails from Ngasib Kanyag Ruwatsang Nomadic Village. He was ordained as a monk at the Trotsik Monastery at a very young age.

A decorated photographer, Choephle has won several regional photography contests. He is the photographer of the monastery and also works at the monastery’s computer department.