3 monks from Tibet take refuge in India

Three Buddhist monks have fled from the Tibet Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan and recently taken refuge in the country, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) claimed today.

The three, identified as Lobsang Norbu, 30, Khedup Gyatso, 24, and Kunga Rinchen, 26, are monks from Gonsar Monastery in Za-Khok Township, Derge County of Kardze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture Sichuan Province.

Tenzin Norkyi of the TCHRD said the monks have testified before the Centre.

She alleged that the government of China continues to make false and baseless accusations against the Dalai Lama.

"This led the monks to carry out a peaceful protest on 10 September 2009 in Za-khok Township and around the monastery by putting up posters around its premises. They put up the Tibetan national flag and posters stating that Tibet was an independent country," she said.

The three of them wrote their names on the posters so that other monks and the public would not come face trouble from the authorities and after that, fled from the monastery.

In order to secure the arrest of the three monks, the local Chinese police have announced a reward of 50,000 Yuan (over $7,500) to anyone giving information on them.

The fear of arrest forced them to leave their country on October seven. Walking for 23 days from Lhasa through the Nepal-Tibet border, they reached Kathmandu on 30th October. They arrived in Dharamsala on 15th November, according to the Centre.