(TibetanReview.net, Dec11, 2016) – Authorities in Karze (Chinese: Ganzi) prefecture of Sichuan Province have set up a temporary camp of 700 metal-roofed houses in a desolate area to put up more than 800 nuns evicted from the famed Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in the prefecture’s Serta (Seda) County, reported the Tibetan Service of Radio Free Asia (Washington) Dec 9. The report cited an unnamed local source as saying nuns began to be moved into the new detention facility on Dec 1, with one to two nuns being put up in each room of a two-storied house.
The report did not say what the purpose of putting up these nuns in this detention camp was. Previous and other reports have said expelled nuns were being subjected political re-education in their respective home prefectures.
So far some 9,000 monks and nuns have been expelled from Larung Gar, with their residences demolished, since July this year. The report cited an unnamed local source as saying anywhere from 600 to 1,000 houses were to be torn down soon in a section called Tashi Lung valley at Serthar complex.
As much as tens of thousands, including Chinese, Tibetans, and people from other countries were said to be studying at the sprawling Larung Gar complex, probably the world’s largest Buddhist study centre, before China began the demolition and expulsions. It was founded in 1980 by the late religious teacher Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok reportedly with support from the previous Panchen Lama.