(TibetanReview.net, Mar 27, 2009) — Police in Karze County of Sichuan Province severely beat and arrested two nuns for staging a peaceful protest and summoned their families for alleged separatist conspiracy. Oslo-based Voice of Tibet Mar 25 said the nuns, Yulshey, 33, and Tsetan Lhamo, 28, of Lama Lamdrak nunnery carried a bag containing pamphlets, shouted slogans calling for the Dalai Lama’s return and human rights for Tibetans.
Citing a monk named Tsetan Phuntsok in south India having contacts in Karze, the report said the authorities accused the family members of the two nuns of plotting against the Chinese government and joining hands with “Dalai Lama’s separatists groups”.
Chinese officials reportedly arrived at their homes on Mar 25 morning in two vehicles and ordered them to report to the concerned local government office.
Radio Free Asia (Washington) Mar 25 described the two nuns as Yangkyi from Honan village and Sonam Yangchen from Gyakham village. (One of the sets of names would be the nuns’ religious names). It said over 50 security personnel arrived when the nuns threw up several hundred leaflets and shouted slogans. While some began beating the nuns, the others cordoned off the area.