Activist flees Tibet

The following is taken from an account provided to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy this week by Jamyang Dhargyal, a new arrival from Tibet. He fled Tibet for India in 1993 but returned to his homeland in 1995 determined to make Tibetans aware of international support for the Tibetan cause. He carried with him speeches of the Dalai Lama, copies of the foreign-produced Chinese “Democratic Magazine” and other publications.

“Unfortunately upon reaching Kyidong, I was caught by the Chinese Army, detained for 18 days, and systematically tortured during interrogations. I was then transferred to Shigatse, Lhasa, Xiling and Drotsang within the space of a year and endured various forms of torture in each of these prisons.”

Whilst detained in the Nyari Detention Centre at Shigatse, Jamyang met with a number of prominent Tibetan political prisoners, including Gyaltrul Rinpoche, Jampa Tendar and Ngawang Choephel. “The majority of prisoners in Nyari were Tibetans and I had realised from my own experience that the prisoners were enforced to endure innumerable treatments of an inhumane nature.” Jamyang still carries the scars from severe torture inflicted upon him during his detention at Nyari.

After six months in Nyari, he was handed over to Public Security Officials, detained a further four months, subjected to further interrogations and finally placed under house arrest. Following his arrest, Jamyang again fled Tibet for India, arriving in October 1996.