China raiding monasteries in Nagchu, forcing monks to pledge allegiance to CCP
By Yungdung Tsomo
DHARAMSALA, 27 June: The Chinese authorities are randomly searching monasteries and forcing monks in Ngachu prefecture and Shentsa county in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham to pledge their allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party and to cut all ties to the “separatist” Dalai Lama, reported Radio Free Asia(RFA).
Chinese authorities are conducting raids across monasteries in Shentsa county in Ngachu and Shartsa monastery in Sok county since the beginning of the month on the pretext of maintaining security, RFA said citing a Tibetan living in exile whose name has been withheld for security reasons.
According to the report, Chinese authorities have searched all the quarters of the monks and the main shrines in the monasteries.
“The monks of Shartsa Monastery are also forced into renouncing ties with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and be a part of anti-Dalai Lama groups,” the source has said in the report.
The report further added that Monks from Shartse monastery were photographed signing a board on a wall renouncing the Dalai Lama and pledging loyalty to China.
The report noted that the text on the board read, “We will rigorously take part in opposing the Dalai Lama clique and will remain loyal and devoted to the country [China].”
Additionally, the Chinese authorities have been scrutinizing the monks’ prayer manuscripts and books, and removing prayer flags from shrines, the report added citing another exiled Tibetan.
“They did not give any sort of warning before conducting these random searches. The monks in these monasteries were summoned for a meeting where they were forced to sign documents renouncing the Dalai Lama and separatism.”
Last week, Chinese authorities made it mandatory for Tibetans to be critical of their Tibetan Spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a job recruitment announcement in Gonjo in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham.
