TIBET NEWS !!

A U.S. citizen holding a "Free Tibet" banner has been turned back from the slopes of Mount Everest, a Nepalese army officer said.The incident comes as authorities in Nepal tighten security on Mount Everest in advance of the scheduled arrival of the Olympic torch in early May.

More than a thousand Chinese students in Britain on Saturday protested against the "distorted" coverage by Western Media of the conflict between China and Tibet. The students, wearing "I love China" t-shirts, gathered in front of the offices of British broadcaster BBC in the city of Manchester to demonstrate against the negative reports on the Olympic torch relay and the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Western media reports were "one-sided" over China's approach in Tibet, organizer Tian Yang charged. "They hear only on side of the story" and it merely interviews "Tibetan separatists," with the opinion of many Chinese not noted, he said.

The Chinese authorities have stepped up an unprecedented repression in Rong Gonchen Monastery in Rebkong County (Ch: Tongren Xian), after yesterday's protest, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD). Rong Gonchen Monastery is an important Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Rebkong County, Malho (Ch: Huangnan) "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture", Qinghai Province.
In light of the peaceful protest on 17 April by a group of 22 monks from Rong Gonchen in Rebkong County market, and arrests of over one hundred protesters in the afternoon, the situation has been tense and volatile following the crackdown by the Chinese security forces.
According to fresh development of situation in Rong Gonchen Monastery in Rebkong, the Chinese authorities are not allowing anyone to meet the arrested Tibetans in detention centres. Multiple sources confirm that 80-year-old Alak Khasutsang, a former chief of Rong Gonchen Monastery, who tried to diffuse the tension between the Tibetan demonstrators and the Chinese security forces on 17 April has reportedly sustained severe head injury during the police crackdown and was said to be in a critical condition. He was also known to be suffering from a high blood pressure. One source reported that he was taken to a hospital in Xining City for treatment. However, there was no exact information about his current whereabouts.

In the aftermath of series of Tibetan protests across Ngaba region in eastern Tibet, the Chinese authorities of Ngaba "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture" ('TAP') have indefinitely closed down the school run by Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery on 8 April 2008, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy

On 17 April 2008, at around 11 am Lhasa local time, about 22 monks from Rebgong Monastery, Rebgong County (Malho"TAP", Qinghai Province) protested for the release of three monks who were arrested on 13 April 2008. They are Lobsang Dhondup(20),Lobsang Dhondup (30) and Dakpa, all from Gyupa Monastery. These three monks were arrested for primarily being involved in the protest on 17 March 2008. Hearing about the arrest of these 22 monks, another group of 80 monks followed the protest after the arrest of these three monks. Some local people consisting of both young and old people also joined the protest. However a former abbot Alag Khatso-tsang, aged 80, from Rongpo Monastery, who tried to calm down the situation was badly beaten and injured by the Chinese army. Furthermore, about 140 people including the monks and lay people alike were detained, and the monastery has been kept under tight vigilance and no one is allowed to move in or out of the monastery.

13 monks from Labrang Tashi Kyil Monastery, Sangchu County, who were among those arrested on 15 April 2008, continue to be detained. It is estimated that these monks are the ones who recently spoke to the western media about the Chinese atrocities.

About 250 people have been arrested after a very strong protest on 14-15 April 2008, in Phenpo Lhundup County. Few of them have been released after being badly tortured and injured. From the first week of April, the Chinese army has started arresting nuns from the Shar Bhumpa nunnery, thereby leaving only seven from amongst 60 nuns who used to study in this nunnery. The People's Armed Police made these arrests. A nun named Tsering Lhathog who normally has hearing problem, was brutally beaten and tortured. Her head has been badly hurt and she is now admitted to Jang Ga-shang Hospital. Besides, on many occasions, several people including both monks and lay people have been brutally tortured and beaten. Due to the lack of space in County prison, arrested people are being kept in the assembly hall. Similarly, there have been continued arrests in Gadhen Choekhor Monastery as well.