Translated by Tashi Namgyal
Following his release from the arrest, Tenzin Dorjee, a Tibetan monk of Shelkar monastery from Dingri county in Tibet committed suicide due to excessive crackdown and mental tortures.
The Chinese police arrested Tenzin Dorjee in May 2023, on alleged charges of giving introductions and explanations on a book of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other teachings of him to the local people. He was released after a few days of interrogation and harsh beatings. Nevertheless, he committed suicide in his residence on 25 of that Month.
One of his relatives in exile told Tibet Times, “As monk Tenzin Dorjee is well-learned in Buddhist studies, he regularly read out and explained the Buddhist texts including His Holiness’s books. Due to that reason, he was arrested but later released and forcibly ordered to halt such activities related to the religion. Furthermore, he was closely monitored and even spied on. Subsequently he has taken his own life.”
The source added, “Following his suicide, being sad for a long period of time, over the loss of her son, his mother Lhamo is suffering from mental health disorder. Currently, she is receiving mental treatment in Lhasa. For Ama Lhamo, Tenzin Dorjee is the youngest and the best son among other children.”
According to the same source, over the past few years, the Chinese government has been implementing the policies against His Holiness the Dalai Lama and imposing heavy restrictions on religious activities in the border areas of Tibet and India.
Monk Tenzin Dorjee of Shelkar monastery hails from Nubling township, Dingri county in Tibet. His father’s name is Ngawang Dorjee aged 80 and his mother, Lhamo Nordon aged over 70. They have 8 children and Tenzin is the youngest one who is almost 50 years old now.
