County Governor Druk Bum Gyal Dismissed After Refusing to Enforce Religious Restrictions
Reported By Palden Translated By TenGyal Druk Bum Gyal, the county governor of Drakkar (Xinghai) County in Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, has been dismissed from his position for failing to enforce policies restricting Tibetans from participating in religious activities. County Governor Druk Bum Gyal Recently, the Chinese government issued policy directives strictly prohibiting local populations from practising Nyung-ne, the traditional Tibetan fasting retreat, and placing further restrictions on religious activities in the five counties of Serchen (Gonghe), Trikka (Guide), Drakkar (Xinghai), Mangra (Guinan) and Ba in Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. However, Druk Bum Gyal, the county governor of Drakkar County, was dismissed and demoted to a minor position for failing to immediately implement policies to ban fasting practices (Nyungne) and to dismantle prayer flags in the county. According to a reliable source from within Tibet, “Authorities issued orders across counties in Tsolho Prefecture to restrict religious activities, crack down on hoisting of prayer flags (lungta and darchok), and mandate display of the Chinese national flag on every household’s front gate. However, Drukbum Gyal- who served as both Communist Party Secretary and Governor of Drakkar County—resisted immediate enforcement, stating, ‘If we implement this policy immediately in our county, there is no telling how the public will react; we will implement it slowly over time.’ Consequently, higher officials immediately stripped him of his posts and reassigned him to a minor administrative role in the Tsolho Prefecture People's Congress.” The source further noted, “The local Tibetan residents are widely praising Druk Bum Gyal, calling him 'a brave man who did the right thing.' Meanwhile, religious practices and activities in Tsolho Prefecture have been heavily clamped down upon, with...
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