E/CN.4/1991/56 page 81 Since the Monlam Prayer Ceremony was resumed in Lhasa in 1986, the Tibetan Branch of the Chinese Buddhist Association has organized the Monlam Prayer Ceremony on a large scale for three years running. The number of participants each year were more than one hundred thousand. On the eve of the Monlan Prayer Ceremonies in 1989 and 1990, based upon the opinions of the masses of Lamas and after consultations with the Democratic Administrative Committees of Ganden Monastery, Drepand Monastery, Sera Monastery and Jokhang Monastery, the Tibetan Branch of the Chinese Suddhist Association decided that the Monlam Prayer Ceremonies and other relevant Buddhist activities in these two years would be organized by each of those monasteries themselves. At the beginning of 1989, Dorje Cerang, then Chairman of the Government of Tibetan Autonomous Region, made a clear statement that the policy of the Government on the Monlam Prayer Ceremony would not be changed. How to organize this kind of activity and what forms it should take would be decided jointly by the Tibetan Buddhist Association and various monasteries or temples. The Government would give assistance and support to ail important Buddhist activities held by religious organizations. The allegation that 'the Monlam Prayer Ceremony in 1990 was cancelled' is not true to fact. In addition, the statement that the so-called 'pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash has been restricted by the authorities' is also not true. According to new reports, although Kangrinboqe (called Mt. Kailash in your communication) is located in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, the access to which is difficult, the number of pilgrims there was more than tens of thousands, increased by several times over previous years, because this year is the Iron House Year (once in every 12 years). No restriction is put by the authorities to this kind of normal religious activity. k. On the allegation that 'there is a plan to remove religious texts from monasteries throughout Tibet and centralize them in Lhasa'. The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the inheritance and development of Tibetan historic tradition and cultural heritage. Many measures have been taken to protect the ancient books and records of Tibetan Buddhist Sutra. The Government of the Tibetan Autonomous Region has organized many experts to do this work. The researchers in Tibetan studies have collected, collated and published a great number of Tibetan Buddhist Sutras, documents in Tibetan language and all kinds of monographs on Tibetan studies. They have made great contributions to the protection of Tibetan religion and culture. At present, many monasteries and temples in Tibet are preserving all kinds of famous and valuable Tibetan Buddhist Sutras. There has never been a plan to centralize Tibetan Buddhist Sutras." Colombia 52. In a communciation addressed to the Government of Colombia on 5 October 1990, the Special Rapporteur transmitted the following information: "According to information received, some members of religious communities have received death threats from paramilitary groups, the accusation being that they engage in subversive activities. Some of them work on community projects or are involved in peasant or indigenous organizations. The sources claim that the persons in question have been the victims of violence allegedly on account of their community and church work, although the deaths occurred in Colombia in a situation of widespread violence.