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| “After
27 days, we are no longer hungry for food, we are hungry for
freedom and justice” |
“After 27 days, we are no longer hungry for food, we are
hungry for freedom and justice” said the three Tibetan hunger
strikers in a petition addressed to Mr. Kofi Annan, General Secretary
for UN in a highly reputed newspaper, International Herald
Tribune-New York Times on April 28, 2004.
Time and again, Tibetans have raised voices against Chinese oppression
and tyranny in Tibet and its dubious claim over Tibet’s
sovereignty. We have always resorted to non-violent methods in
our freedom struggle under the helms of His Holiness the Dalai
Lama. While our exiled government waits for the negotiation-in-limbo
to resume, the Tibetan Youth Congress unleashed its struggle for
freedom. Mr. Kalsang Phuntsok, President of Tibetan Youth Congress
applauded the efforts of these three selfless Tibetans who are
on this indefinite hunger strike at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, in
front of the United Nations Headquarter, New York on April 02,
2004. He commented that the hunger strike was a strong method
to express resentment for not getting due justice.
Council member Kriss Worthington of Berkeley, California shared
the same thought and stated, “Some people confuse peaceful
protest as a sign of weakness, but I [Worthington] believe a hunger
strike is a far stronger and more powerful form of protest,”
in The Daily California paper on April 20, 2004.
The hunger strike has reinvigorated patriotism among the Tibetans
around the globe and has revitalized our diminishing hopes to
see a free Tibet. Tibetans everywhere actively participated and
showed their solidarity for these three Tibetans who represented
the six million Tibetans and risked their lives for Tibet as a
whole. Each passing day without any food weakens their body but
they remain strongly determined to stay on strike until death
eludes their mission or fate smiles at them with accomplishments.
The massive support and encouragement from Tibetans and Tibet
supporters from everywhere overwhelm them. “My own heart
is very involved in this struggle and will continue to see Tibetans
as individually and as a group as my brothers and sisters. Their
fate is my fate.” Mr. Richard Gere said to the Hunger Strikers
amid hundreds of local Tibetans, when he visited them to extend
his solidarity.
Tibetan Youth Congress that organized the hunger strike has 77
Chapters around the globe with its head office at Dharamsala,
India. Mr. Kunga Thinley, President of Regional Tibetan Youth
Congress of New York and New Jersey feels honored to get the opportunity
to organize this hunger strike in New York under the direct supervision
of President of TYC, Mr. Kalsang Phuntsok. Although he is happy
that Tibetans in New York have given timely cooperation in all
the activities that the organization partakes, he still requests
Tibetans in New York to show up at the hunger strike as much as
possible to uphold the morale of the hunger strikers. He comments
that, “It’s a very critical and crucial time for the
Tibetans. We should rise up and fight for our rights and just
cause.” We, the Tibetans in New York have the privilege
of having the UN headquarter at an arms length and should do our
best to become the voice of those Tibetans who are suffering directly
under China in Tibet.
I could not think of any excuse not to come when I met a 57-year-old
woman with a walking stick, Ama Dolker from Brooklyn, who travels
one and half hours by subway to extend her solidarity as many
times as she could. When asked the same question to Mr. Tseten
Lhagya and Aa-Dolma, they surprised me by telling that they had
not missed a single day since the hunger strike started. They
reasoned that these people are ready to give their lives for us,
so no sacrifice of theirs is comparable to them. People throng
there, both adult and children, and chant prayers for a successful
outcome of this hunger strike. They distribute flyers to spread
the message of freedom and almost 10,000 flyers are distributed
so far. The daily routine ends with Tibetan national anthem and
shouting Bod Gyalo in chorus.
Perhaps, the beauty of our struggle lies in the method we adopted,
i.e. non violence. Ambassador Mr. Sichan Siv, United States Representative
to Economic and Social Council of United Nations, encourages the
Tibetan masses present at the hunger strike, “…as
a fellow Buddhist, I appreciate your non-violent activities of
redeeming your country back from the Chinese power. I promise
that we will work together to restore the situation in Tibet.
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| The
New York Post quoted hunger striker Ms Dolma Choephel
as saying, “You probably didn’t know about us
because we don’t believe in drawing attention to ourselves
by killing people with bombs.” |
However, it is evident in this modern society that only the squeaking
wheels get the oil. Therefore, the issues of freedom strugglers
who resort to violence are ubiquitous in the media while the Tibetan
issue, which is just and true doesn’t receive its due attention
from the world community and the United Nations in particular.
The New York Post quoted hunger striker Ms Dolma Choephel
as saying, “You probably didn’t know about us because
we don’t believe in drawing attention to ourselves by killing
people with bombs.”
On April 27, 1998 martyr Thupten Ngodup who was on hunger strike
unto death in Delhi had to immolate himself in order to draw attention
from the world community rather than wearing a suicide bomb and
blasting the Chinese embassy. About a couple of months back, the
American media was flooded with news that an 11-year-old Palestinian
boy was tied with a suicide bomb. Quite contrary to that, I saw
nine years old boy Gaden happily distributing flyers about lack
of human rights in Tibet to the passerby at the hunger strike.
The sight of old women crying when the hunger strikers refused
to take even water moves me to no bound. If the world community
and China in particular is taking granted for our patience to
endure, there is a grave danger that younger generations in future
may resort to the last option that is perilous to the world peace.
“When hunger strikers are ready take to their own lives,
you can not rule out the possibility that Tibetans could also
become suicide bombers in future if neglected by UN for a very
long time,” President of TYC NY/NJ, Mr. Kunga Thinley cautioned.
These three hunger strikers, Ms Dolma Choephel, Mr. Gyatso la
and Mr. Sonam Wangdu, who are ready to kiss death without
“When hunger strikers are ready to take their own lives,
you can not rule out the possibility that Tibetans could also
become suicide bombers in future if neglected by UN for a very
long time,” President of TYC NY/NJ, Mr. Kunga Thinley
any apprehension appeals to all Tibetans around the globe to
rise and fight for freedom. They have also requested elders of
the community to sow the seed of patriotism in younger generations.
“My main reason to take this extreme step is to awaken
Tibetan brothers and sisters from the slumber and induce them
to fight for a Free Tibet”, said Mr. Sonam Wangdu from New
York, one of the hunger strikers. Joint secretary for RTYC of
NY/NJ, Mr. Sonam Topgyal strongly believes that if all six million
Tibetans are united and strive for freedom, there is no reason
for not getting our freedom back. If the spirits of Tibetans are
so strong and high all the while, nothing can deter our aspirations
and endeavor to redeem our freedom. Let us all unanimously voice
for Tibet’s freedom and glorify the martyrs who sacrificed
their life for this cause. Kudos to the hunger strikers…Bod
Gyalo! Bod Gyalo!
Tenzin Jamyang, (Mr.)
(Ex-President of Tibetan Students
Association, Mangalore, India)
E-mail: tenzinjamyang@rediffmail.com
For pictures of the hunger strike please check the websites:
