The India based Tibetan Centre for Human rights and Democracy said that Chinese authorities in Yulshul (Ch: Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, in the Tibetan province of Kham has begun implementing new measures introduced in late 2011 to directly control and manage Buddhist religious institutions in Tibet.
Tsering Tsomo, director of the center told VOA that Chinese officials visiting the Kyegudo area had ordered Tibetan monasteries in Trindu (Ch: Chenduo) County to replace all the monastic staff and management committee members with government and party appointees by 7 June 2014.
Tsomo added that at Nyatso Zilkar Monastery located in Dzatoe (Ch: Zaduo) Township in Trindu County, a government appointed Monastery Management Committee (MMC) has already replaced the previous Democratic Management Committee (DMC) whose term of five years had not expired.
The authorities accused the previous management committee of failing to ‘maintain stability’ since numerous protests including self-immolation had occurred at the monastery in recent years. In 2012, several monks from Nyatso Zilkar monastery were arbitrarily detained, beaten up, with some being given prison sentences.
Tsultrim Kalsang, a 25 year old monk was sentenced to 10 years in prison. According to a press release issued by TCHRD, officials and cadres appointed by the Chinese government and communist party authorities directly oversee and make decisions on the day-to-day operations and administration of Tibetan monasteries.