(TibetanReview.net, Jul12’19) – Monks and nuns expelled by China recently from the famed Yachen Gar Tibetan Buddhist centre in Palyul (Chinese: Baiyu) County of what is now part of China’s Sichuan province for not belonging to the local area have not only been forced to give up their monastic robes and scriptures but they are also required to undergo political indoctrination at detention centres set up in their home counties in order to be moulded into China patriots. Those showing signs of distress during the political re-education sessions are being singled out for harsh treatment, including beating and torture, reported the Tibetan Service of rfa.org Jul 11.
Speaking about the situation of nuns being held in Jomda (Jiangda) County of Chamdo (Changdu) Prefecture in Tibet Autonomous Region, the report said their routine at the political re-education detention centre included learning to perform Chinese patriotic songs and dances and watching propaganda war films, including movies depicting Chinese victories over Japan.
“During the morning and afternoon sessions of their political re-education classes, they have to perform Chinese patriotic songs and learn to dance,” the report quoted an unnamed exile Tibetan source with local contacts as saying.
“And in the evening, they are forced to watch Chinese propaganda films showing Chinese soldiers winning victories in battle during the war between China and Japan.”
Some of the nuns forced to watch war films and undergo political training sessions had broken down and wept, only to invite severe beating and torture from the Chinese for alleged show of disloyalty. Some of those subjected to such violence were stated to have difficulty standing up afterwards.
Further punishment for the nuns showing signs of distress were stated to include the extension of their detention for a year and a half as against six months for the others. Besides, they were being denied permission to receive gifts of food or clothing from visiting family members.
The detained monks and nuns were also reportedly being questioned about their outside contacts while being subjected to strict surveillance.
The Jomda nuns constituted a small part of a large group of around 3,500 monks and nuns expelled recently from Yachen Gar and sent back to their home counties in Tibet autonomous Region, mostly in Chamdo City.
