Arrest Continues and Restriction on Gasoline in a Township in Sog County

Under an overwhelming presence of military and Chinese officials, in a rural Tibetan township of Trido, Sog County, 29 Tibetans have been reportedly arrested since February. According to Ngawang Tharpa and Rinchen, who are closely observing the situation in the area, there are currently about 30 police and government officials stationed in each village and checkpoints are set up between the villages. “There are three check points between Drilda Monastery and Trido township seat,” said Tharpa, the president of Dra-Sog-Drisum Association in Dharamsala. This is about 12 km long distance via Salween River, a remote mountain road mainly used by the local villagers. Trido Township in Sog County has become the latest focus of TAR security forces after a several Tibetan independence messages appeared on bridges, boulders, and frozen river since February. Also in Sog Tseden Monastery, located about 70 km from Trido Township, a monk was arrested on March 14 for burning a Chinese national flag and writing free Tibet messages on the door of a government office, according to Ngwang Tharpa. The officials had recently collected all the gasoline that people in Trido Township had kept in their homes, a common practice in areas where there is no gas station, Rinchen said. The measure is part of combating self-immolations.