Lobsang Jampa, a 25-year-old monk from Sera Monastery in Lhoka, provides a first-hand account of political “re-education” campaigns imposed on monks in Tibet during the mid-1990s.

In June 1996, a large government “work team” arrived at Sera Monastery and subjected monks to systematic political re-education. Monks were divided into groups, interrogated individually, and required to study and endorse state narratives, including Tibet’s status as part of China. Following the sessions, monks had to pass written assessments demonstrating ideological compliance; those who failed were forced to rewrite their responses.

The campaign led to expulsions of monks under 16, arrests, and increased surveillance. Monks were categorised into registered and non-registered groups, and many were either detained or left the monastery due to pressure. Acts of resistance, such as posting letters opposing the work team’s presence, resulted in imprisonment.

As a result of these measures, the monastic population at Sera dropped significantly, and strict controls were imposed, including limiting the number of monks and appointing permanent monitors to oversee activities. Lobsang Jampa’s account highlights the coercive nature of the re-education process and its disruptive impact on religious life and personal freedoms within the monastery.