Translated by Tashi Namgyal
Namkyi, a former Tibetan political prisoner, pleaded in tears for the unity among Tibetans in exile without regional and religious disputes so that the hope of Tibetans inside Tibet will be fulfilled.
On 19 April 2024, former political prisoner Namkyi who reached Dharamshala recently addressed a press conference about the dire situation in Tibet and how she was tortured in the Chinese prison at Lhakpa Tsering hall of the department of information and international relations, CTA. She affirmed that being a Tibetan and political prisoner, she was subjected to brutal torment and discrimination against nationality unlike other prisoners.
At the Press conference, Namkyi said, “I grew up hearing about the recent history of Tibet from my parents and elders: “Red China” forcibly occupied Tibet and killed thousands of Tibetans, which led the spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Eminence Kirti Rinpoche, and other great personalities take refuge in exile, and I felt immense sadness.” Regarding the peaceful protest with her sister in Tibet, she stated, “Beginning in September 2015, my sister Tenzin Dolma and I had repeated secret discussions during our cattle herding. Subsequently, on 21 October 2015, holding two large portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in our hands, we staged a protest against the Chinese rule in Tibet on the ‘martyr’s roads’ of Ngaba. Following our march and shouting slogans, the Chinese police arrested us, interrogated and brutally beaten. They kept us in detention for over a year and a month including serving seven months in the detention center of Tashi Gyalkaling County. On 23 November 2016, we were sentenced to three years each on trumped-up charges of undertaking ‘separatist acts against the nation’ and supporting ‘the Dalai clique’ by the court of Trochu county.”
She added further, “Following the sentence, it was required to receive military training, ‘patriotic education,’ and learn the Chinese constitution. We had to undergo an oral test after studying numerous documents in Chinese and were forced to work in labor camps. In prison, we were treated harshly as a separatist against the nation. We also faced problems due to malnutrition, cold in thin blankets during winter, and discrimination against nationalities. Despite our release from prison after completing the prison term, our expressions and movement were severely restricted. Due to these reasons, on13 May 2023, I started my journey of escape with my cousin Tsering Kyi without telling anyone.”
Namkyi continued with her address emotionally, “Generally there is no regional dispute in Tibet, but I was saddened and disappointed to learn that Tibetans here divide ourselves in terms of regional bias. For Every second, every day, months and years, Tibetans inside Tibet are suffering under the persecution of Chinese rule. Furthermore, numerous Tibetan political prisoners are put in jail and subjected to harsh beatings. But all those Tibetans are fighting for one Tibet. The Chinese government never divided Tibetans in terms of regions like Amdo and Utsang, and beat them accordingly. I really feel, to be united without regional bias among Tibetans in exile is important. After arriving here in exile, I felt so sad to learn of the regional disputes among Tibetans. Tibetans in Tibet bravely protest saying ‘I am Tibetan’ and shouting for the return of His Holiness the Dalai lama and Kirti Rinpoche and they suffer the consequences. So, is there a time for us to fight for internal and regional bias? I hope Tibetans in exile would stop fight for regional and religious disputes and make utmost effort to preserve Tibetan language and culture”
At the end of the press conference, she said that in Tibet, Tibetan individuals, young and old, lay and monks who love Tibetan culture, religion and language were restricted and the schools and monasteries as the main Tibetan culture preserving centers were cracked down directly or indirectly by the Chinese government. Therefore, it is important that Tibetans in exile should preserve the Tibetan language and keep solidarity and be united with Tibetans inside Tibet.
A Tibetan political prisoner, Namkyi was born to a typical nomadic family of Pema Lhathang in Charo village, Ngaba County, Tibet. On 21 October 2015, Due to her protest on the ‘martyr’s road’ Of Ngaba, the Chinese government sentenced her to three years in prison on alleged charges of undertaking a separatist act against the nation. On 21 October 2018, she was released from prison after completing the prison term. On 27 May 2023, she reached the reception center in Nepal. Eventually, on 28 June 2023, she arrived in Dharamshala and the reception center here. Currently, she is studying in Sherab Gatsel Lobling (TTS) in Dharamshala.
