TIBETAN HUNGER STRIKERS march 98

Nancy Jo Johnson



SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 1998

               Nancy Jo Johnson visited the tent in Delhi where the hunger strikers are stationed and gave this   account:

               Today there was a constant stream of visitors, mostly Tibetans. Six cots line the dirt floor shelter. In the  center of the room is an altar on which prominent images of Ghandi and the Dalai Lama are draped with  white kataks, ceremonial silk scarves. The routine is that after the visitor enters the tent, they first offers a katak to the altar, and then proceeds to offer a katak to each of the hunger strikers. The visitor usually sits next to each striker for a moment or more, taking their hands, leaning close and whisperign words of support. Others touch their forehead to each striker, a symbolic gesture of great respect. If the hunger striker can muster the strength he or she may respond, but the visitor must lean close to hear their words as they gasp for breath and attempt to communicate. It is a witness of courage and strength beyonddescription, and most visitors leave the tent in tears, men and women, trying to get out the door so as not  to cry in front of the strikers.

                                                 A number of Indian officials visited today, the most famous of
                                                 which was Mr. Janeswar Mishra, a member of parliament from
                                                 the Samajanadi Party. Samdong Rinpoche, the Chairman of
                                                 the Tibetan parliament in exile, also came by and told the
                                                 strikers he admired their courage. It was rumored that
                                                 Samdong Rimpoche would ask the strikers to call off their fast,
                                                 but he did not. However, he did apparently infer that when His
                                                 Holiness the Dalai Lama visits the strikers on Thursday, April 2,
                                                 that he may ask them to stop. Prior to starting the fast, the
                                                 strikers formally appealed to the Dalai Lama not to ask them to
                                                 call off their strike.

                                                 There were also 6 or 7 Tibetan women who massaged and
                                                 cared for the strikers with determination and steadfastness
               through the early evening hours. They conducted a traditional Tibetan medical practice called  lungstang. One of the strikers, Dawa Gyalpo (50), said that he thinks he has between 2 and 4 more days  and then he will die. Yungdung Tsering (28), Karma Sichoe (25) and Dawa Gyalpo speak English. The  others speak only Tibetan. Two of them, Karma Sichoe and Yungdung Tsering, have never even been to Tibet.

MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1998: TWENTY DAYS OF FASTING

               Questions and Answers with the Hunger Strikers conducted by Nancy Jo Johnson

                                                 This question was directed at fifty year old Dawa Gyalpo. So
                                                 far, Dawa has lost 22 pounds within the last three weeks.

                                                 Q. If the Dalai Lama visits and asks you to stop your fast, what
                                                 will you do?

                                                 A. I will first appeal to His Holiness not to say anything about
                                                 this.  Before we started we made a request to His Holiness not
                                                 to intervene and not to ask us to stop. In the past I have always
                                                 obeyed him, and for this reason it is very difficult. The Chinese
                                                 are wasting time - they have not negotiated with the Dalai
                                                 Lama's middle path request. They are waiting for His Holiness
                                                 to die. For this cause I donate my life. Of course His Holiness
                                                 has great compassion and is deeply concerned for our lives....
               but we are just asking for 3 things from the UN. They are not unrealistic things. We are not even asking for  independence and so far we have not taken a violent terrorist approach. My last demand is to appeal to the UN to act and to all of the world's governments and peoples to support Tibet. His Holiness will come visit us, then I will die.

               Q. Are you afraid to die?

               A. No, never.

               The next question was asked of Yungdrung Tsering, age 28, who
               has lost over 24 pounds:

               Q. Are you afraid to die?

               A. In the nighttime something like a fear comes and I get too much
               headache and I think death is coming. Then I think, I am dying for
               my country, my freedom, my motherland, not dying for my sickness.
               I am proud of this.

               Karma Sichoe, age 25, who has lost 22 pounds responded to these
               last questions:

               Q. What message do you have for the media?

               A. I pray in my heart that you come to understand Tibet was occupied by Red China since 1959. His  Holiness the Dalai Lama and our brothers and sisters came to exile and we have struggled for a free Tibet  for the last 39 years. The world must recognize Tibet is also very important for the world because Tibet can be example of peace and harmony for all sentient beings. Still, the Chinese destroy our culture,  religion and take our history to show the world Tibet is part of China. The world must understand about this  situation in Tibet and what is truth. Please support a free Tibet, non-violence and peace.

               Q. Are you afraid to die?

               A. No, not at all. If I am afraid why would I join this? As human beings, we are all sentient beings, so nothing to be lost. If I die, my rebirth may be insect, but whatever it is, I want to do all I can for sentient beings, to help them. This I always pray in my heart.

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1998: THE STRIKE RECEIVES PUBLIC ATTENTION

               Measures Taken in Solidarity

               It was clear today that attention to the hunger strike is swelling.
               Visitors are arriving from all over the world. There are Tibetans from New York, Kathmandu, and throughout India. The political attaché of the U.S. Embassy in Delhi also visited today (this was confirmed by Deputy Assistant Secretary Gare Smith at the U.S. Department of State.)

               The hunger striker's began their day by making their way to the water pump for a morning wash. They are still walking, mostly unassisted, except for Dawa Gyalpo, 50, who couldn't get up at all today. Young Karma Sichoe found the energy to wash his hair today. Still, Mr. Kunsang, 70, and Mrs. Palzom, 68,  remain the strongest.

               Visitors also began to arrive early today and more cameras and video recorders are now appearing. A solidarity hunger strike started nearby today. Less than 50 yards away over 60 Tibetans held a vigil, while six fellow Tibetans lay inside a make-shift tent starving to death. It is an expression of collective suffering,  the suffering of a people for a culture being lost to the world and to themselves.

               Today, Dawa Gyalpo's only son Thupten Chodak, also arrived. Amazingly, he had not known his father was in the hunger strike. Thupten Chodak, 32, is a teacher who works at a Tibetan school in the Sakya colony  in Rajpur. "I did not know he had joined the hunger strike until yesterday when they called me from here  and told me. They suggested I come quickly because his condition was deteriorating very fast. I came  immediately on the night bus and arrived at 6 this morning. I didn't even know this location and then I found some friends who told me of the whereabouts. I was in quite a shock when I first arrived," Thubten said. "I am proud to be Dawa's son. I hope that one day I will follow his path. My father feels it is better to die for his country than a normal meaningless death. Presently, I have not much experience, I am young and have so much to learn, but one day I will follow his path."

               Then, his father, Dawa Gyalpo broke in and said, "If the Dalai Lama dies in India, we Tibetans have failed. We must not let this happen, you must (speaking to fellow Tibetans and his son) not let this happen. Before  he dies he must return to the Potala Palace." Dawa has given a lot of interviews today, and he is exhausted. He drifts off.

               One of the organizers, Pema Lhundup, Joint Secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress said that they have  increased security around the tent because of the rumor of intervention Indian Government. Some say that the government would intercede if they were Indians, but they won't with Tibetans.

                                                         In the late afternoon Lungtsang is again given
                                                         treatment.

                                                         From 2:00PM - 4:00PM over 100 young Indian
                                                         Lawyers also staged a protest, next to the site, inside
                                                         Jantar-Mantar itself. The All India Young Lawyers
                                                         Association issued the following press release:

                                                         New Delhi 31st March 1998
                                                                The members of All India Young Lawyers
                                                                Association today staged a Dharna (sitting
                                                                Protest) at Jantar-Mantar/Parliament Street,
                                                                New Delhi, in support of Hunger strike by
                                                                Tibetan People who are on fast unto death
                                                                since 10-3-98. The dharna was orgaized by
                                                                Mr. S.N. Pandey, President of All India
                                                                Young Lawyers Association which was
                                                                attended by more than hundred advocates
                                                                coming from Supreme court of India, Delhi
                                                                High court and various other courts. While
                                                                speaking on the occasion Mr. Pandy
                                                                condemmed The China Govt. for their
                                                                illegal invasion into Tibetan Territory since
                                                                1949. He further appealed to Secretary
                                                                General of UN and also to the Govt. of
                                                                India to condemm the fascist approach of
                                                                China for violating the collectivism
                                                                approach and to raise the issue of Tibetan
                                                                People at International forums like UN. Mr.
                                                                Pandey further expressed the solidarity with
                                                                the Tibetan People on behalf of All India
                                                                Young Lawyers Association and promised
                                                                to take up the matter with all the
                                                                concerned authorities at national as well as
                                                                Intl. Forums.

               The sun has gone, darkness falls, visitors are crying as they exit the tent and we all wonder how much  longer this will continue. As people continue to make their ways out of the park, I sit back with Dawa Gyalpo and his son Thupten Chodak for a bit longer. Thupten is Dawa's only son, a 32 yr. old teacher who works at a Tibetan school in the Sakya colony in Rajpur. Of his father he says:

               "I am proud to be his son, I hope that one day I will follow his path. I did not know he had joined the  hunger strike until yesterday when they called me from here and told me, they suggested I come quickly  and his condition was deteriorating very fast. I came immediately on the night bus and arrived at 6 this morning, I didn't even know this location and then I found some friends who told me of the whereabouts. I was in quite a shock when I first arrived. My father feels it is better to die for his country than a normal meaningless death, it is ok, since we all will die at some time. Presently, I have not much experience, I  am young and have so much to learn.... but one day I will follow his path."

               Dawa Gyalpo said: "If the Dalai Lama dies in India, we Tibetans have failed. We must not let this happen,  you must (speaking to fellow Tibetans and his son) not let this happen, before he dies he must return to the  Potala Palace"

               Dawa has given a lot of interviews today, he is exhausted and even though I believe he would find the   strength to go on talking, I leave him there in the tent.

               On my way out I speak briefly with L. Pema Lhundup, Joint Secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress [TYC]. He said "Even if they stop us, we have not failed. This time the Tibetan community awareness was very huge, the community has shown with support, we have raised awareness around the world and I have heard that things are moving slowly in the UN."

               Today they have increased the TYC security around the tent, the possibility of Indian Govt. intervention is a whispered rumor, similar to the hunger strike in New York City, they may come in forcibly take them to the hospital to prevent them from dying. The question remains on everyone's mind, will His Holiness the   Dalai Lama ask them to stop?

               I walk back to my hotel, numb, exhausted and so sad. These 6 individuals are so strong, the sadness comes not for them, they've convinced me they are not fearful and believe it is the right choice. I realize my   sadness is for the death of Tibet. Thirty-nine years is a long time, and I just don't understand the deaf ears  of the world.

               Back in my room, I turn on CNN. How ironic, on World News is the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan   shaking hands with Li Peng in Beijing. There are smiles on both of their faces and I realize how tragic this is.

http://www.savetibet.org/

la premiere equipe de grevistes de la faim tibetains
la greve de la faim des tibetains : melanie temoigne
photos des manifestations de delhi avril-mai 98
la deuxieme equipe de grévistes de la faim tibétains
le Dalai-Lama a l'hopital de Delhi le 28 avril 1998

bienvenue en Bretagne : soutien au Tibet et mai 68
ÿÿ