By Tenzin Tsering
Dharamsala, June 25 – The exile Tibetans here have reacted sharply against a Chinese court’s verdict against a prominent Tibetan environmentalist once honored by China as “philanthropist of the year” to fifteen years in prison.
The verdict, popular Tibetan activist Tenzin Tsundue said is a “desperate measure of the Chinese government.” “With so many whistle blowers emerging from all over China and also from Tibet in the form of writers, musicians, artistes and social workers who are influential public opinion makers, the Chinese government is at their wits end by sentencing an environment activist, to cover up their disastrous environmental policies which is mainly aimed to exploit the nature completely,” he said.
Many exile here believe that the arrest of the philanthropist, earlier embraced by the Chinese government throws further light on the extended repressive measures carried since 2008 protests in Tibet towards even Tibetans who distance themselves from political issues.
“We totally condemn this trumped up judgment, sentencing ordinary Tibetans like Karma Samdup would only fuel more resentment against the Chinese government and in the long run increase the feeling of estrangement for the Tibetan people,” commented Tenzin Choeying, National Director, Students for a Free Tibet, India.
Environment being one of the common areas of interest between Tibetans and Chinese has always been an opportunity for China to demonstrate progress.
“The arbitrary arrest and unfair trial of environmentalist Karma Samdrup is unfortunate not only for Tibet but also for China,” said Dhardon Sharling of the Tibetan Women’s Association. Sharling, however, is hopeful that “the International Environmental Groups who have been appreciative of Karma Samdrup’s environmental work will raise his case and secure his early release.”
SFT has come up with an online petition seeking immediate release of the environmentalist here.
Karma is the latest victim of what many Tibet activists and analysts say is China’s recent stepping up of control against influential Tibetans like artistes, writers, singers and intellectuals.
“These Tibetans are not the angry protestors or monks rallying on the streets of Tibet, but the product of the Chinese system, well educated and lauded by the Chinese government as a model Tibetan,” Tenzin Choeying said. “They are now increasingly targeted and imprisoned for the mere expression of their Tibetan identity, which is interpreted as “splittist” and alleged intervention of state affairs or simply seen as a possible threat in the future by the Chinese government.”
Karma Samdup, 42, a prominent Tibetan figure from Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, a wealthy businessman and an environmentalist was arrested in January this year and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment yesterday on a charge which had already been dropped more than a decade ago.
The charge of “excavating and robbing tombs” was brought up in 1998 and dropped in the same year when “at that time the Xinjiang police had already made a decision recognizing Karma Samdup was not guilty and the grave robbers (who were)…have already been punished,” said his lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang.
The environmentalist, also known as the “King of Heavenly Beads” for his large collection of important Tibetan antiques appeared in court Tuesday looking “gaunt and shrunken.”
He started ‘Three Rivers Environmental Protection Group’ which campaigned for the conservation of the source region for the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang (Mekong) rivers, winning other awards and recognition including the Earth prize, an environmental prize jointly administered by ‘Friends of the Earth, Hong Kong, and the Ford Foundation.
Karma is believed to have earned the wrath of Chinese government due to his attempts to secure his two brothers’ release. His brothers, Rinchen Samdup and Chime Namgyal, both environmentalists, had publicly denounced Chinese officers for poaching endangered Tibetan species in their native Chamdo.
