Friday, April 16, 2010

Monks save lives

Informations abtained from  contacts in Jyekunda gives a different pictures of the relief work, Chinese state is not showing any pictures of the thousand monks on the scene who were the first responder and acted heroically.


“Except today there wasn’t much rescue workers, everyone is left to themselves and dead bodies left unattended. About more than 80% of the buildings were leveled. Not a single buildings stands unaffected”. Said a Tibetan woman who visited the quake site.

“Even in Yushul, several school buildings were cracked.Tremor felt as well as in Nangchen, and but no casualties reported.

I think about 50% of the population were killed. It is a devastating and appears like somethings is smashed from the above”.



A monk from Shumal monastery who were at the quake site to help said

“The monks from the neighboring monasteries were actively involved in the rescue works, 130 monks from Shumal arrived at the quake site. The devastation is immense, comparable to Sichuan earth quake; the death toll could be over thousands. Many people were still trapped under the rubble and unable to pull out.

Today you could see the Chinese relief workers arrived, medical workers and troops can be seen. Besides lots of civilians were at the scene, especially the monks. They come from Shoma monasteries, Seshul monastery, Zugyul monastery, Sekar monasteries etc. Around 200 monks and nuns have arrived, just now another groups from Jadar monastery in Nangchen also arrived. ”.



Another resident in Jykunda estimated the death toll well above the official figures.
“ 8500 people were dead, and 20,000 were injured, a number of troops were on the scene, but they were guiding the survivors, instead of helping to pull out those under the rubble.

About 10 of my mother’s relatives were killed; my father’s relatives’ houses were collapsed and not known yet, if they managed to escape or still buried. My mother who got up early in the morning around 5am to go for circumambulation was survived. Most people who are at home in the morning were perished.

700 bodies were pulled out from the rubble, from the university that has 2000 students. Number of injuries were unknown.

In Jyekundo about thousands of houses were leveled.

The Chinese rescue workers helped more of the Chinese officials buildings that collapsed. Residents where predominantly Tibetan did not receive immediate help. So it was the monastery monks were actively doing the rescue works, even with the warnings from the troop that the water receiver may break out, and wash out everyone. The troops cared more of their own safety than rescuing the victims. Chinese media is not trustworthy, they also distort information”.



Another residnt in Jyekundo Said” Today, more help arrived from, on the first day there wasn’t enough, besides there was lack of medical workers, and medical facilities the weather is cold and it is hampering the relief works. Lack of doctors, medical equipments is  the biggest problem"



The monastery nearby recieved hundreds of dead bodies, the monasteries were heavily involved in giving food and shelter. As another Jyekund resident confided over the phone.

“Hundreds of dead bodies were carried to Jiego monastery yesterday.

Tangon monasteries lost about 40 or 50 people. The water reservoir is now released and there is no problem of the water. Now there is lots problem of landslide, lots of crack on mountains. Seshul monasteries have put about hundreds of tents now. Many of my relatives have passed away.

Most urgent help now is to pull out those who are still buried,

They are many people who are still buried and disappeared. The troops and rescue workers are still not enough to deal with the disasters”.

Some of the injured were taking away for treatment by plane, due to lack of facilities in the locality”.

For detail  RFA release look up http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/rescue-04152010161807.html

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