Reported By Kelsang Jinpa
Translated By TenGyal
Edited By Kelsang Jinpa
All monks under the age of eighteen from Tsang Monastery, located in Ba County in the Amdo region of Tibet, have been expelled, and the head of the monastery, Ven. Shersang Gyatso, has taken his own life in protest after enduring relentless and unbearable harassment from the Chinese authorities.
According to verified information received from a reliable source to Tibettimes, just days before His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday this year, Chinese police intensified restrictions at Tsang Monastery. They conducted thorough searches of every monk’s quarters, during which photographs of His Holiness were confiscated from some monks’ residences. The authorities then summoned the entire monastic community and effectively placed the monastery under lockdown by restricting their movement. Alongside these measures, all monks under the age of eighteen were expelled from the monastery.
Following His Holiness’s birthday, the repression grew even harsher. From July 20 onwards, police conducted daily searches of the monastery’s dormitories. Monks were forced to attend compulsory political indoctrination sessions every day, leaving no space for their regular religious practices and completely disregarding the monastery’s spiritual life. This constant intrusion and interference caused deep distress and resentment among the monks. In addition, during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, the monks were prohibited in taking part in the traditional practice of performing religious rituals in nearby nomadic communities during the fifth and sixth months of the Tibetan calendar, depriving local villagers of their longstanding religious customs and freedoms. The freedom of movement of all monks continues to remain heavily restricted.
In the evening of August 18th , Amid this unrelenting pressure, the monastery’s leadership became a particular target. Unable to withstand the constant harassment, intimidation, and persecution from the Chinese authorities, the head of the monastery’s management committee, Ven. Shersang Gyatso, ended his life on second floor of the monastery shop in protest. He was 52 years old at the time of his passing.
Tsang Monastery consist of monks from three major regions: Malho (Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), Tsolho (Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), and Golog (Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture). Ven. Shersang Gyatso himself was from Arig Village in Malho Sogzong County, within the Malho region (Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture). He belonged to the Gyupa College, one of the five traditional colleges of the monastery. Among the thousand resident monks, he was widely respected as an exceptional practitioner, distinguished both in scholarship and in moral conduct.
Due to the heavy restrictions imposed on the monastery and the surrounding community, no clear images or further details are currently available. we will update if there is any new informations.
