Tibet Issue
Tibetans Speak Out Amid Global Concern Over Disappearance of Political Prisoners
01st Sep 2023
In the past five years, Tibetans have raised alarm over the mysterious disappearances of approximately 60 Tibetan political prisoners, a grim trend that has left families in anguish and communities in turmoil. These individuals have seemingly vanished without a trace, enduring secret trials and sentencing hearings that remain shrouded in secrecy.
China, particularly its actions in Tibet and Xinjiang, has faced international condemnation for its mass internment program. Reports suggest that as many as 1.8 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim groups have been involuntarily sent to re-education camps. Subsequent investigations by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have revealed a disturbing pattern of torture, forced medication, and other egregious abuses against these inmates.
On August 30, the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the United Nations and civic groups came together to voice their concerns and call for an end to impunity for governments and non-state actors involved in enforced disappearances across 85 countries.
“Enforced disappearance is a serious human rights violation that has frequently been used to spread terror,” emphasized the UN in a statement. This day commemorates the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance in 2006.
The consequences of enforced disappearance extend beyond the immediate victims. “The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and society as a whole,” the UN noted.
Particular focus in the battle against enforced disappearances in 2023 has centered on the harassment of rights defenders, relatives of victims, witnesses, and legal counsel. Furthermore, concerns have arisen regarding the misuse of counter-terrorist activities as a pretext for human rights violations and the prevalence of “widespread impunity” for those responsible.
The UN’s concerns about harassment, questionable terrorism accusations, and impunity have been repeatedly highlighted in reports by Radio Free Asia, which has extensively covered enforced disappearances not only in China but also in Southeast Asia.
Here are profiles of some of the victims of enforced disappearance:
Zumkar and Youdon
Tibetan sisters Zumkar and Youdon were arrested during a recent Chinese crackdown on Tibetans, particularly surrounding the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6. Zumkar was taken into custody on June 23, after authorities found a photo of the Dalai Lama in their home. Youdon, accused of colluding with her sister, was arrested on July 11 in Amdo County in Tibet’s Nagchu region. Their exact whereabouts remain unknown.
Rahile Dawut
Rahile Dawut, a renowned scholar of Uyghur folklore and geography, disappeared in December 2017. She was believed to have been arrested and detained in an internment camp in Xinjiang. In 2020, former colleagues confirmed that Rahile, along with other Uyghur intellectual and cultural elite members, had been detained, sentenced, and jailed.
Lhundrup Dragpa
Singer Lhundrup Dragpa was detained in May 2019 in Nagchu, Driru county, reportedly for a song critical of Chinese government policies in Tibet. He was denied legal counsel during detention and was sentenced to six years in prison in June 2020. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Go Sherab Gyatso
Go Sherab Gyatso, a 46-year-old Buddhist monk at Kirti Monastery in Sichuan province, was taken into custody in October 2020 on unspecified charges by State Security agents in Chengdu. Despite his ten-year sentence and loyalty to the Dalai Lama, his current situation is shrouded in secrecy.
Qurban Mamut
Qurban Mamut, the former editor-in-chief of Xinjiang Civilization, disappeared in 2017, months after visiting his son in the United States. Chinese authorities concealed his imprisonment and sentence for nearly five years. His family recently learned that he is serving a 15-year sentence for “political crimes,” but his precise location remains undisclosed.
The stories of these victims underscore the urgency of addressing enforced disappearances, ensuring accountability, and upholding human rights worldwide.
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