Testimony by a Tibetan youth in Lhasa
TCHRD[Monday, May 19, 2008 10:55]
A rare testimony in detail of a Tibetan youth who was arrested in the
aftermath of Lhasa unrest in March=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC2008=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=AC=
is obtained by the Tibetan
Centre for Human Rights and Democracy=E2=80=AD
(=E2=80=ACTCHRD=E2=80=AD)=E2=
=80=AC.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThe interviewee
describes the use of extreme torture in prison,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACcries of
p=
ain in the
corridors of the prison,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACharrowing stories that he
constan=
tly
hears,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACunwavering hope of sup****t from the outside
world,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand
perception of life post imprisonment.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThe interview
which =
is
reproduced below has been dictated to a third party and edited by
TCHRD in order to protect the identity of the youth.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACWhile=
(*)
denotes information withheld, further details,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACcomments
or=
explanations are provided in square brackets.
"On=E2=80=AD (*) =E2=80=ACMarch,=E2=80=AD around=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACone=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=AChundred soldiers entered my house,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACbroke down five doors,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACchecked everything and
thr=
ew it all on the
floor and hit everyone present there.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACIt was like a
robber=
y or
burglary.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThere were a lot of firearms and they were
very =
rough with
us.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI was arrested.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey took me with
th=
em,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACwith my thumbs tied
behind my back,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACvery tightly,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACresulting =
in the whole area being
numb for the last two or three months=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACall of his left
thu=
mb=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACThey treated us very harshly.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACTalking to each
oth=
er,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey said,=E2=80=AD
"=E2=80=ACThis is our chance=E2=80=AD"=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand
they =
beat us.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAt first I thought that
they were going to kill me,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey hit my head a
lot,=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACand skull can
be broken easily.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACIt is not like the rest of the
body.=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey took
me to prison.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACFor four days they didn't ask me
anything,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey just
threw me in.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey gave us half a steamed bun a
day.=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACThat's very
small.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACEveryone were very thirsty and a lot of people
dran=
k their
urine=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACthe detainees were not provided with
water=E2=80=AD=
]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACWe had no
clothes,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACno blankets,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACnothing to lie
dow=
n on,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACnothing=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACjust
cement floors]=E2=80=AC and it was very cold.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACFor four
day=
s nobody spoke to
us,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey just left us there."
"During the day it's quiet,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthere's nothing in Lhasa
durin=
g the
day.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACBetween=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC11:00=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACat =
night and=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC5-6:00=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACin the
morning=E2=80=
=AD]
=E2=80=ACthey arrest thousands of people. In that room,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACaf=
ter four or five
days,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey gave us two steamed buns with hot
water.=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACWe were=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC(*)
=E2=80=ACpeople in that room.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACVery bad.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=AC=
We heard a lot of things.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACMany
people had their arms or legs broken or gunshot wounds but they
weren't taken to hospital.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey were there with
us.=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACIt was really
terrible.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI can't believe that we are in the=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=AC21st century.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACFor
instance,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACone boy who was shot four times,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACone from here to there=E2=80=AD
[=E2=80=ACthe bullet entered from the left side of his back and exited
from
the left side of his chest,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACnear his
heart=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=
=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACone from here to
here=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACfrom inner left elbow to inner left
wrist=E2=80=AD]=
=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand one here=E2=80=AD
[=E2=80=ACa horizontal wound on his upper right
arm=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACSome people had
their ribs broken.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACOne man was punched in his=E2=80=AD
[=
=E2=80=ACright=E2=80=AD] =E2=80=ACeye,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand
it was all swollen and black and blue,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACvery
bad.=E2=80=AD =
=E2=80=ACPeople had their
teeth broken,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthese are just examples.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACA=
lot of terrible things
were done."
"One of the problems is that people have no food,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey
are=
very
hungry,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey are just falling over.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACOne =
boy fell into the toilet,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACall in the same room,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand he was cut right
across=
his face=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACunder
his chin along the jaw=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACFor
instance,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACa lot of people have
psychological problems,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand they're the first to
collapse.=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACA boy
from Tse-Tang ,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChe has a problem of the=E2=80=AD
"=E2=80=
=ACheart=E2=80=AD"=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACa
psychological problem,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand he was very thin.=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACAt first he fell two
or three times every day but they didn't care."
"The worst thing=E2=80=AD =E2=80=93 =E2=80=ACthis is Gondzhe=E2=80=AD
[=E2=
=80=ACthe name of the prison=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACin Lhasa there are nineteen prisons,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthe
biggest =
is Drapchi and
there is one in Chushul=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACCh:=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACQushu
Count=
y=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey are empty,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACthey showed the visitors that nobody is in prison,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACit's just for
show.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACUsually there is no prison at the train
station,=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut they
rented a very big building and they put people there and in
Du-Long=E2=80=AD=
[=E2=80=ACToelung Dechen County=E2=80=AD] =E2=80=ACand at the train
station,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand in
Gondzhe=E2=80=AD; =E2=80=ACthey put people in these three places.=E2=80=AD
=
=E2=80=ACAt night they
bring a big bus,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand many soldiers come,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACand one hundred to one
hundred and fifteen go to Du-Long.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey say it's time to
g=
o home,=E2=80=AD
"=E2=80=ACYou haven't done anything wrong,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACyou're going
ho=
me,=E2=80=AD" =E2=80=ACbut they
put them in a huge bus to Du-Long or to the train station.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACThey've
mixed up the people and transferred people from here to there=E2=80=AD
[=E2=
=80=ACfrom
prison to prison=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI didn't see this
mys=
elf,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut friends told me
what they saw at Du-Long.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACSome monks had sacks put over
th=
eir heads
and they were taken away and didn't come back,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso maybe
th=
ey were
killed."
"I met an old man,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC65=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACyears
old,=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACwho had two ribs broken and he
was all bent over=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACdemonstrates a bent
man=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=
=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand he couldn't
stand up straight,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChe was dying,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso
the =
police took him to
People's Hospital,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACwhere one or two people die every
day=
=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACdue to
police violence=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThe people who are
tak=
en to hospital are usually
people who have been shot or beaten,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand they usually
die =
there.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACA
brother and sister from (*=E2=80=AD)=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthe
brother=
was younger,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACwere
sleeping in the same room and all of a sudden soldiers came and threw
them out of the window from a high floor to the ground,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACth=
e brother
was killed on the spot.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACYes,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACright
outsi=
de the building.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThe
sister didn't die,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut she can't lie down,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACshe has to remain in a
sitting position all the time.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey took the body away
and=
told her
that she is forbidden to tell anyone.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC(*).These are just
a=
few
examples.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThere are many problems like this."
"Many questions were asked of people who were not guilty of
anything.=E2=80=
=AD
=E2=80=ACThey are just=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACguilty of being]
Tibetans.=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACThere are many counties
in Tibet,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey call the police from each
county,=E2=80=AD =
=E2=80=ACand the people
from the counties aren't in Lhasa so they show them that the prisons
are empty,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut they were taken to all kinds of
places,=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACbecause in
Lhasa there are so many people watching so they keep everyone
away.=E2=80=AD=
=E2=80=ACNow the monks from=E2=80=AD (*)monastery=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACfriends and relatives,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACwe
don't know where they are."
"You know that they say that there are no soldiers in Lhasa,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACbut
they're in civilian dress and they check identity papers."
"I want to talk and that people should know what's happening in
Tibet.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACIf they beat me that's okay=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=AChe
m=
eans that his family may
be hurt as well=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI didn't do anything
b=
ad in Lhasa.=E2=80=AD "
"Many young people in Lhasa,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACfor example,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACif we were together on
the=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC14th=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACof
March=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI was beaten,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso I was=E2=80=AD
"=E2=80=
=ACsold=E2=80=AD" =E2=80=ACand
then you're with me=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACwith the prison warden doing the
beat=
ing=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACBut I have friends in=E2=80=AD (*) monastery,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI
w=
ould rather die than give
them away.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI saw a lot of things that they did in
prison.=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACA guy
from Dhadezhe [possibly Dartsedo County]=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChad a new
jacket,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso they
beat him and he died,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbecause of the jacket,=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACbecause it was very
new,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso they said he stole it,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso
becaus=
e of his new coat he was
killed."
"There are a lot of high school students from Sauko=E2=80=AD .=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACA seventeen-
year-old who had not participated in the events of the=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=AC14t=
h=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACof
March=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACall his clothes were taken
away,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey tied his hands and
they pushed a wagon at him until he fell,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthere are all
ki=
nds of
torture methods.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThis kid was very young and he didn't
eve=
n do
anything.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAfterwards he said that he'd done all kinds of
t=
hings,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACthat happens to a lot of people,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey pressure
pe=
ople to admit
things they never did. I didn't see the dead people,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut
i=
n prison
people called out to the police or soldiers,=E2=80=AD "=E2=80=ACSomeone's
de=
ad=E2=80=AD!"=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACevery day people shout that.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAt Gondzhe there
are=
nine buildings,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACand each building has eleven rooms and in each room there are
twent=
y
or thirty people.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAnd one day,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACa
Chinese=
man was asked some
questions,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACsomeone called and asked how many people had
be=
en
arrested and he said less than ten thousand,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand that
does=
n't
include Drepung,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACSera,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACRamoche,=E2=80=AD=
=E2=80=ACJokhang.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAfter they let us out
they arrested the monks.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACWhen I got out=E2=80=AD
[=E2=80=
=ACof prison=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC I heard that
many were arrested at Drepung Monastery.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI was released
on=
=E2=80=AD (*)
=E2=80=ACApril=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC."
"I met a monk from Ramoche before I was released.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI am
ver=
y worried
about the monks.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThe soldiers regard the monks as
somethin=
g very
different,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbecause a monk from Dezhe=E2=80=AC [possibly
De=
rge County],=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChis
finger was bent over=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACshows a completely bent
finger=E2=80=
=AD] =E2=80=ACand he'd
been blinded in one eye,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChe couldn't see out of it at
all,=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChe was
beaten more than us but luckily=E2=80=AD =E2=80=A6 =E2=80=ACReally I can't
u=
nderstand why they
do terrible things to monks,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACvery,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACvery =
painful."
"I met a boy from (*) [County] in the same prison,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand
he =
had two
friends in Lhasa who lived near Ramoche and they were shot,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACand his
two friends,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACone,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthere's a hospital
nea=
r Anichenko=E2=80=AD ,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChe was
taken to a nunnery and he died there,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC21=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACyears old,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI've
forgotten his name=E2=80=AD; =E2=80=ACthe other was=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=AC20=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACyears old,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AChe was shot
and he's in hospital,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACmaybe he'll die too.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACHe was shot on Gangsu
Street."
"A boy named (*),=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACaged=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC(*),=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACfrom Ani****m=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC near Lhasa,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACis in
prison,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand two of his friends were shot to
death.=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACHe and his=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=AC18=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACyear-old brother were from Phenpo.=E2=80=AD
=
=E2=80=ACIn the prison at Gondzhe
there are a lot of people from Phenpo."
"During the day it's very quiet,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACeverything happens at
nig=
ht,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACeverything's very secret.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThere is no telephone
c=
ontact with
Drepung,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACSera or the train station.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACSome=
times we can get in touch
with the train station,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut not most of the
time,=E2=80=AD=
=E2=80=ACso they can't be
reached."
"I have a relative in India,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI wrote just what I heard
and=
saw to
send over the internet.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI wrote a little and I saved it
on=
Word,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACand all of a sudden it disappeared,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso I was
very=
frightened.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACSo
I haven't checked my e-mail,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI have a lot of friends
abroa=
d and they
send many e-mails but I haven't opened them.(*)."
"Outwardly they show people that everything is very nice but inside
it's really terrible.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACPeople did really bad things and
for=
ced us to
make this problem.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAt Ramoche they didn't do
anything,=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut
thousands of soldiers surrounded the monastery and all the
temples,=E2=80=AD=
=E2=80=ACand many vehicles closed off the gates like a prison.=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACWe can't be
tolerant anymore,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACwe should be tolerant but we can't be
to=
lerant
anymore.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThere are no human rights and cultural genocide
i=
s the
reality,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthat's the big part,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut the
sm=
all part we see,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACfor
instance in Lhasa,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACon a main street like Beijing
Lu=E2=80=
=AD [=E2=80=ACLu means
street in Chinese=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACor Gengshu
Lu,=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=AChow many Tibetans have
businesses on streets like those=E2=80=AD? =E2=80=ACThis is
Lhasa,=E2=80=AD =
=E2=80=ACTibet,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACnot
China.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACDon't the Tibetans have to live=E2=80=AD?
=E2=80=AC=
The Chinese are more
talented because they study in big cities.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey have
exper=
ience or
enough money to do business,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut Tibetans come from
villag=
es,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey
are farmers or nomads,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey don't have money,=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACso how can they do
business in Lhasa=E2=80=AD? =E2=80=ACWhat is more necessary=E2=80=AD?
=E2=80=
=ACThat the local people
do business in Lhasa or the Chinese=E2=80=AD? =E2=80=ACWhy don't the
Chinese=
police
allow Tibetans to do business on one side of the street and the
Chinese on the other side=E2=80=AD =E2=80=93 =E2=80=ACso things will be
more=
balanced=E2=80=AD? =E2=80=ACThere
are many Tibetans who are very talented and intelligent,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACb=
ut they
don't have enough money to make it.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey have money
becaus=
e they
live in Beijing or Shanghai.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThat's the small
part.=E2=80=
=AD "
"I see a lot of things,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI'm okay,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI
can =
do many things.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACBut I
see many Tibetans,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthe way they live,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACan=
d the way the Chinese
live,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand this is Tibet.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThe local
peopl=
e shouldn't be superior to
the Chinese,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut there should be balance.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACThere are some very old
Tibetans who have pensions from the government,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACyou can
se=
e them on
TV.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey said bad things to the Tibetans.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACI watch them and I just
laugh.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThere are many westerners who are fighting for
Tibe=
tan civil
rights.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI'm very happy that these people are doing
this.=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI want to
study more at home every day but I can't.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACWhen I watch
TV,=
=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACeverything is lies,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACso it pains my
heart=E2=80=AD=
[=E2=80=ACpoints to his heart=E2=80=AD]
=E2=80=ACand it's very bad.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACSo I walk in the streets and
I=
see the soldiers
asking me for my identity papers,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey look at my card
and=
ask me,=E2=80=AD
"=E2=80=ACWhen were you born=E2=80=AD?" =E2=80=ACand if there's the
smallest=
mistake you're
finished.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACThey check the picture and your face,=E2=80=AD
=
=E2=80=ACbut a Chinese
person can pass right by=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACwithout identity
papers=E2=80=AD=
]=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthat's
okay."
=E2=80=8E(*). "Before this was the best place, but now it's like a prison,
it's not like Lhasa. When I was in prison,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACa Tibetan
polic=
eman told
me=E2=80=AD "=E2=80=ACKneel down here=E2=80=AD!"=E2=80=AC,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACI had my thumbs tied behind my back.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACHe
sat down=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACon a chair in front of
me=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC,=E2=
=80=AD =E2=80=ACput his foot on my head
and kicked my forehead with his foot,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACpushed my head
back =
and
slapped my face over and over again,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand I saw this man
an=
d I was
very sad.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACHe's Tibetan and now I see him every
day,=E2=80=
=AD =E2=80=ACI've seen him
many times=E2=80=AD [=E2=80=ACsince then=E2=80=AD]=E2=80=AC.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=AC=E2=80=ACA lot of Chinese and Tibetans jumped
on my back and kicked me and beat me over the head,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACthey
t=
wisted my
head back so I couldn't see their faces,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut to show me
yo=
ur face
and to do those bad things=E2=80=AD =E2=80=93 =E2=80=ACthat's the worst
thin=
g."
"This is just an experience,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI could learn a lot from
it.=
=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACIn
prison sometimes I dreamed about food and I remembered the food we
cook at home,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACmy mother and my sister's cooking and I
coul=
d smell
it,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand then I really appreciated how tasty the food is
at=
home.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI
usually eat everything and then I say=E2=80=AD "=E2=80=ACThat wasn't so
good=
,=E2=80=AD" =E2=80=ACand
now I've learnt that it's very,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACvery good.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACThese are the worst
things that I've ever seen in my life,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACbut you learn how
t=
o be a
good person.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACSometimes,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACwhen my (*)'s
ch=
ildren are here,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand
they don't do their schoolwork,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI yell at them and hit
the=
m.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACBut
now if I yell at them it pains me sometimes.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI've
learned =
a lot."
"I'm worried about the small Tibetan population.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACMany
peop=
le are
dying today or being crippled with broken arms and legs,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=ACa=
nd that's
very bad.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACAnd people are in prison,=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=AClike=
me,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACand I think about
the people in prison all the time.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACI think about the
terri=
ble state
they are in.=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACYoung people,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC16=E2=80=AD
=
=E2=80=ACor=E2=80=AD =E2=80=AC17=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACyears old,=E2=80=AD
=E2=
=80=ACcrying all
the time=E2=80=AD =E2=80=93 =E2=80=ACit makes me really sad.=E2=80=AD
=E2=80=
=ACI saw people with broken limbs
and people who'd been shot=E2=80=AD =E2=80=93 =E2=80=ACseeing their pale
fac=
es is very,=E2=80=AD =E2=80=ACvery
sad
|
