Ordinary stories...
Interview of Piero VERNI
to Dawa RATOE (monk, 29 years)
My lay name is Dawa and my religious name is Gyaltsen Woser. My family name is Zingkag. I was born in Choshur Nyethang Ratoe. Neythang village is half an hour drive from Lhasa. I am now 29 years old. My father's name is Konchok Tsering, 54 years, and my mother is Namgyal Dolkar 49 years. Our family is peasant and we had been looking after the fields.
In 1983 I became monk in Ratoe Monastery.
1987 Sept. 27 upto Oct. 1, were spent in Lhasa and participated in different peaceful demonstration.
1988 March 5, during Monlam Festival which was organised by the Chinese govt., as monk, we have experienced and knew that it was organised only to show to the outside world that there is religious freedom but in practice it is on the contrary. So some of us monks took this occasion to vent our feeling. We demonstrated peacefully asking for Freedom of Religion. At the same time, we remembered all the political prisoners died in and out of prison due to torture and asked for their immediate release of all political prisoners, shouting Free Tibet and China go out of Tibet.
1988 June 5. Four of us organised our small group and wrote the historical facts on three different issues. We managed to write 200 pamphlets and pasted them on the walls overnight in Neythang village.
1989, Aug. 25. On this day around 15 people from Chinese government came to our monastery. Chinese call them Lethon mi-na, literally meaning different people with duties. They are not military, army or police. They are supposed to be intellectuals to re-educate monks and public (tibetans). Their advices are 'To protest against Dalai clique and foreign devils interferring to split motherland, and to preserve and safeguard religion. They call every people, lay and monks, men and women in a meeting and make people repeat that Tibet is part of great motherland China and Dalai clique has no right to interfere, preserve and safeguard monastery and religion and revolt against splittist. Foreign enemies and their organisation who support splittism must be condemned. Tibet is an inseparable part of China and will never split from this great Motherland. They then call each monks and lay and ask questions like whether Tibet is independent country or not. It took two months of re-education and during these months they r
estrict monks movement out of monastery specially from going to Lhasa and especially when there happen to be any religious ceremony in Lhasa.
They called meeting of exclusive monks around 70 of us to announce their success for having being able to discipline monks. They further announce in this meeting that henceforth, no monks can go to Lhasa and no one can shout slogans like Tibet is an independent country or show any remorse feeling towards China. Monk Tsering Dhondup stood up and said, "Tibet was an Independent country, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is our Political and Spiritual head. Chinese must leave Tibet. May H.H. the Dalai Lama live long," as soon Dhondup finished saying these words all 70 monks got up in union land repeated Dhondup's statement. This day Chinese did or said nothing.
1988, August 26 around 6 p.m., Tsering Dhondup was caught and put in a small local military base and the remaining monks were asked to attend a meeting. When we reached there, Tsering Dhondup was handcuffed. We were ordered to remain quiet because Dhondup will be only there for interrogation.
Around 8 p.m. when Dhondup was still not released all monks started to shout unanimously condemning Dhondup's arrest but they closed the door on our faces and took Dhondup inside. We saw only 5 army personnel but the moment we shouted these 5 personnel fired aimlessly but fortunately no one got hurt, our monks overpowered these armies.
Aug. 27, today they telephoned Lhasa TAR and from Lhasa TAR four Army trucks full of army, arms and ammunition arrived. This night army surroounded all village and monastery. Chinese called two different meetings, each with monks and lay people and to both they condemned monk's activities. They also arrested Chojor 37years, Dorjee 37 years, Bu Ane 25 years, Lobsang 27 years, all monks and put them in 'Chushur zong' prison for six to seven months. Lobsang was sentenced for two years and transfeered to Sangyip cell 5.
1989 March 4, night around 10 p.m. With some friends I left for Lhasa. At midnight we put up a Tibetan flag at the main square and at the side of the flag we pasted posters asking for Free Tibet. Below the flag we have written a caption which says, "This is a Tibetan flag, nobody can remove this because Tibet was and will be an Independent Country." From March 4 to 7, there was a big demonstration by Tibetan people in Lhasa. On these Lhasa demonstration I was joined by my friend Namkha and other four monk friends joined us on 7th March.
(1989, on the fourth month, 28th day of tibetan calender I was arrested.)
1989 April 17 night 5p.m. Abbot of our monastery, Tsering Norbu, Migmar Tenzin, Tsering Tenpa. Phurbu, Namha and I were arrested from Ratoe Monastery. I was put in Sangyip for 5 months, Sigrung for 2 months and Drapchi for the rest of the term. In Drapchi political prisoner cell 5, I joined Palden Gyatso. I was kept without formal charges for over a year.
1990 Sept. 15, Lhasa People's Justice.
The courts, Lhasa People's Court and Lhasa People's Shibchoe khang grant time to the accused to appeal to these courts to verify truth or false and if the accused have any grievances against law. This is a procedure according to Law but there is no trial, no lawyer and no opportunity to appeal or tell the truth or grievances etc.
1990 Sept. 20. We were taken to the above courts and declared that according to Lhasa People's Court's verdict that the accused are guilty of inciting morally bad attitudes and protesting by distributing pamphlets declaring Tibet as an independent country etc. According to Trung-ha Mimang Chitue Gyalkhab section 102, I was formally charged to 4 years imprisonment and my friend Namkha to 3 years as my assistant. I was accused of the leader. At this time, officially we were supposed to recieve 10 days to report of any discrepancy in their judgement on our charges and we must submit our appeals if we feel discrepancies in charges. However, on the 10th day, they write at the back of their reports that the accused have no discrepancy, appeal to make.
1990 Jan 5, I was moved to Drapchi cell 1. My responsiblity is to plant vegetables. On this day Cell 5 was introduced in Drapchi with purpose to admit political prisoners, to enable to put political prisoners under heavy security.
1991 April 27, Five political prisoners, Tenpa Wangdak, Gyalthar, Lobsang Tenzin, Tenpa Phuljung, Penpa were discreetly taken to the Kangpo Tamo prison. The in-charge of Drapchi Cell 5, were two Tibetans named Tsering Rinchen and Pema Rinzin, known for their strictness and rudeness. When the above five were taken, all political prisoners of Cell 5, around 80 of us, demanded to be told where and why they were taken. The two tibetan cell incharge replied its none of your business, to which we answered, of course its our business because they are tibetans and we are here for same political reasons. At this reply the incharge ordered 20 armies with rifles loaded and aimed at us. Then we were taken into a hall, summoned one by one and interrogated. When my turn came, I said, yes, I am one among the group who demanded to know the fate of our five brothers, why they were taken and why taken so secretly. There is a small room inside the prison, strictly for torture. I was the first to be taken in this torture chambe
r. No sooner my head popped in from the door, there were three army personnels waiting inside who kicked me, slapped my from right to left, hit me with rifle butt. Two men caught both of my hands, while one kicked me until I fell down on my face. After that Pema Rinzin, cell incharge came and tied my hands behind and then used an electric batton having a very pointed heard. They hit me on sensitive areas, mouth and flesh. They rub this on my body and due to its pointed head my flesh were torn and blood were running from different part of my body. By the time they stopped beating me, I cannot get up with pain, so I remain knelted down at a corner. The room is quite small. Just then they brought Yeshi Nawang, a monk with his hand cuffed. He was beaten the same way like me. So total of 12 people were put in this torture chamber with me. We were beaten still handcuffed for another hour. There are 12 prison cells of 6 by 6 ft, where all 12 of us were put handcuffed. They used double handcuff, one to be loosened w
hile eating and the other to be remained throughout day and night. This room has no window, so neither fresh air nor sun can come. Out of these 12 cells, one is specially horrible, where 70 year old Lobsang Bumdu was put. In this particular cell, the hanging cot is put half an inch above water. This cot serves as bed. He was also handcuffed like us. In this 6x6 room, we must excrete, eat and sleep without window.I was put in this cell for a month but some were put for 15 days etc. For whole month, I pissed, excreted, slept and eaten in this cell without air and throughout I was handcuffed. I was given food twice a day, morning and lunch. Food consist of one mug of boiled water, two very small and hard bread, the bread could be two to three days old. They worsened the quality of food gradually when Paljor, the head of prison visited cell 5. Some of my friends were put for two months also. Whatever had been the condition, I never compromised and accepted myself as guilty.
When winter comes, they have re-education sessions. Political prisoners consist of youngest boy of 14 and 16 years to the oldest 70 years. But we all never compromised our stand that Tibet was an Independent Nation througout our re-education session.
After release of Palden Gyatso a new kind of work was practiced. They were planning during Palden's imprisonment. Its a greenhouse made by plastic. The biggest must yield vegetables worth 16000 to 18000 yuan per annum. Smallest one 13000 to 14000 yuan per annum and the medium must yield 16000 yuan per annum. The salary for prisoners working in these plastic green-house is 35 yuan per month which is not given in cash. Out of 35 yuan per month income prisoners must bore food supplies, electricity, water, clothes, even salt and this amount is not at all sufficient to meet food. Wangdu's plastic greenhouse cracked dur to wind and he was accused of bad attitudes toward work. His prison term was increased and he is still serving.
1993, April 27, Fortunately for me, it is not always like this, my term is finished. As you can see, I was charged for 4 years sentence and my 1 year spent without trial has also been included. For many this is not the case. Imprisonment is counted from the day one is formally accused. I was released on this day. When I came out of prison, my nose ached. In these four years, lots of changes have taken place. There were more army garrisons, lot of chinese built houses, more chinese people can be seen. Reaching my village, the vacant areas were all filled with either chinese constructions or army units. Any political prisoners when released from prison, cannot go back to their work, if they were employed earlier or if its a monk, monasteries were warned against readmitting. In my monastery, during my imprisonment Chinese army came and forced our monks to throw all my little belongings. Since Monastery cannot take me, I spent sometime with my parents, neighboring villages and Lhasa looking for some works, but I
found no employment.
1995 Feb. 25 I escaped from Lhasa without informing my parents and relatives. I left Lhasa amidst danger and fear. It took us two months.
1995 April 19, reached Nepal and Nepal police arrested. We were 31 people, including a boy of 6 year and monk ( my political prison mate of 70 years and 65 years).
On 20th we were handed over to Chinese border police at Dham. On 21st while we were taken from Dham on the way to Tibet, after 10 minutes drive, I jumped from the truck into a thick bush, made my way into thick jungle and bushes, for two days without food.
Appeal to the International Comunity
When I came here I was very surprised and also very happy and encouraged to meet many Westerners who have done a lot of research alnd the little informations that they have gathered were very acurage e.g the names of political prisoners, years charged for imprisonment etc. This shows a thorough and hard research work. This really encouraged me because I felt, I am a Tibetan, so why not fight or my right to freedom, but these people from free world put their effort to help us and their work is so through.
(Prison office called Tru-yang Siphang ting is incharge of shooting video films in the prison for propaganda. They set up such shots when required, specially, family meeting once a month. Officially this meeting is for 15 minutes but practically it last only 5 minutes. So our parents or relatives who comes to meet, prepare our foods, specially serve tea in a few cups to enable us to drink as much possible in this short period, but Chinese takes advantage of this to shoot and they prepare 'khatak' and forced the prisoners to wear around neck, then they shoot these scenes to show outside that prisoners are free to welcome family members and they enjoy their prison life etc.)
Mi-wang (self determination).
Tibet and China are two different nations. In Drapchi, April 27, 1989 Sonam Wangu 40 years old was beaten with iron rod so bigh that could reak other iron. Dawa Tsering and Migmar Tsering were executed. Lhakpa Tsering and Lobsang Tenzin will be executed in two years. Tashi's term increased by another 9 years. During interrogations and in the prisons, using electric battons of different size and design, iron rods, using fists and kicking, beating by butt of guns, applying torture instruments to the sensitive areas are common. There is hardly anyone without scars.
Thupten Tsering, 70 year old monk from Sera and Tsewang Palden, 64 year monk from Tago Rabsay, Lhasa were among 29 deported. These two are political prisoner companion of Dawa Ratoe.
