Translated by Tashi Namgyal
Edited by Yangchen Tso
Over ten Tibetans from Wonpoto township, Derge County in Tibet, were arrested in February Currently, their current whereabouts remain unknown.
The Chinese government forced local settlers to relocate to construct a new dam on the Drichu River on 22 February 2024. Hundreds of Tibetans appealed to the involved Chinese officials to halt the plan of relocation and construction of the dam through both written and verbal forms. But later, over ten Tibetans, including Rigzin, Thubpur, Dechen Dolma, Yangkyi, and Tsedup, were arrested, and still their condition remains unknown.
A concerned Tibetan in Tibet told Tibet Times, “Following the arrest of those Tibetans, their current situation remains unknown. Most of them are college students. Recently, the regions of Wonpoto have been under heavy restriction and control. The Chinese government will send many Chinese officials to these areas in March.”
Another concerned Tibetan informed Tibet Times, “The Chinese government deployed numerous armies in Derge County and settled army camps in the villages and even in street markets. Internet censorship was tightly implemented in these areas over a month.”
On 21 and 22 February 2024, residents, including monks, peacefully protested, pleading with concerned officials to withdraw the plan, as the Chinese government had forcibly ordered the relocation of six monasteries and two villages in the name of constructing Kamtok Hydropower station on the upper reach of Drichu River. Suddenly, several police officials came to the spot, brutally beating the demonstrators, and they were even admitted to the hospital.
Most of them were arrested arbitrarily, and Chinese officials imposed strict restrictions on the movement of residents.
