Defending your beliefs
During his imprisonment by Chinese
communists, Tibetan monk Palden Gyatso ate belt and shoe leather so
he wouldn't starve and endured electric cattle prod tortures because
of his beliefs.
Today, Gyatso is free and able to share his experiences
with the world, including a packed Moore Hall Kiva Wednesday night.
Speaking in the Tibetan language and through translator
Namka Tenzin, Gyatso described his 33 years spent in a Tibetan prison.
"The communists came to power in 1949 and immediately
invaded Tibet," Gyatso said.
China's invasion was gradual.
"At first they made good with the Tibetan elites,"
Gyatso said.
China gave money to Tibetan monasteries and gave
gold Rolexes and other gifts to officials. Then they began hauling arms
and ammunition into Tibet, Gyatso said.
"China started showing its real face," he said.
The communists built airfields and highways in Tibet
to help transport its military into the country. Gyatso said Tibet's
spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, tried to negotiate with China, but
China refused.
Gyatso, who became an ordained Buddhist monk at 18,
was jailed in 1959 at age 27 for protesting the communists. He said
thousands of Tibetans were arrested and political activists were jailed
as China sought to crush Tibetan culture and enforce "thought reform"
on the people.
At the time only two prisons existed in Tibet, so
the Chinese converted huge monasteries into prisons which could house
10,000 people. The conversion involved removing religious scriptures
and gold statues and covering the windows.
Gyatso showed a pair of shackles the Chinese used
for prisoners' feet. The shackles had a short chain between the cuffs
only a few inches long.
"It was impossible to move your legs," he said.
Sharp edges on feet and hand shackles pierced skin
and caused bleeding, he said.
Thumb cuffs were used because of the large number
of prisoners. Gyatso showed the audience a pair of thumb cuffs and how
they were used.
He put his left hand behind his left shoulder and
wrapped his right arm behind his back. Prisoners' thumbs were tied this
way, near their left shoulder.
Gyatso discussed the starvation in prison as well.
"We were allowed one cup of soup a day. Many began
dying. When we were marched out to fields to work, many prisoners would
start eating grass, leaves, insects and mice to fill their stomachs,"
he said.
Gyatso said he and others ate leather from mattresses,
belts and shoes in order to stay alive. But many of his friends perished.
"When they knew they were going to die, they would
say, 'If you survive this inhumane condition and torture, you must work
for the freedom of Tibet.' Even at the time of dying, they would think
of their country and not of their family," he said.
Every four to six months during Gyatso's imprisonment,
the Chinese would hold an interrogation period. Small stones and cut
glass were spread on the ground. A prisoner was brought in with his
pants rolled up past the knees and with his hands tied behind his back.
Chinese officials would say, "In 1959, we arrested
you because you were saying Tibet is independent. But we say Tibet is
a part of China. Do you now think Tibet is a part of China?"
Inmates who did not answer or said Tibet is independent,
had their tied arms yanked around and their legs cut by kneeling on
the sharp objects.
Gyatso said he still cannot fully stretch his arms
and hands properly because of the tortures.
He also received a prod torture during an interrogation
in 1990. An official asked him about Tibet's independence, but Gyatso
said nothing and then saw the official's finger on a button on the prod.
"Do you want independence? I'll give you independence,"
the official said.
The electric prod was forced into Gyatso's mouth,
and he passed out from the pain. He said he woke up with his mouth full
of blood. After one month, all of his teeth fell out.
Gyatso held out a white cloth with a pair of dentures
on them. He said Amnesty International, the group who worked to free
him in 1992, gave him the dentures in 1995. For Gyatso, they signify
both the brutality and the kinship of human beings.
He said executions at the prison involved up to 15
prisoners at a time and took place in front of all other inmates.
"In America, prisoners are asked 'What is your last
wish?' But in Tibet, they tell you, 'You are about to be executed. But
before that, you must sing and you must dance.'"
Gyatso has testified before the U.S. Congress and
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights about his experiences,
and has spoken at all four Tibetan Freedom concerts.
He said students can play a vital part in helping
Tibet gain its freedom back from the Chinese, as students helped end
apartheid in South Africa.
Gyatso told the audience that Tibet has its own language,
religion, government, currency and ruler, the Dalai Lama, and that historical
records prove Tibet is an independent country.
Tenzin, Gyatso's translator, said that today the
Chinese far outnumber Tibetans in Tibet and said Gyatso and himself
"are now kind of like endangered species."
Tenzin said 120,000 Tibetans live in exile today,
and the Dalai Lama's attempts to negotiate with China are disregarded.
Sarah Reader, Beaverton sophomore, said the talk
was informative.
"I thought it was interesting and was very important
information for people to know."
Beaverton resident Jeremy Vallender said, "I thought
it was nice and to the point."
After the talk, a large line of people formed to
buy copies of Gyatso's autobiography. At this time, fliers were handed
out by people opposing Tibet and the speakers.
The fliers said, "Do you know any society which was
still a slavery world in 1930s? Tibet!!!" and "Do you know why (Gyatso)
is here? Power!!! No one is willing to see the loss of power after being
ousted!!!"
The fliers also said, "Tibet joined China hundreds
of years ago. The historical records can prove it."
Gyatso's translator, Tenzin, saw the fliers and said,
"If they think this is true, they should come forward and talk. We can
discuss this."
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion Guy
Newland said the fliers were offensive, but whoever made them had the
right.
"The good thing about the freedom of speech is that
it makes it possible for Gyatso to come and voice his views, as he is
unable to under Chinese rule, and for them to voice their views as well,"
he said.
Newland said the opinions expressed in the fliers
were offensive but sincere because many Chinese were raised with teachings
of history very different than what was told Wednesday night by Gyatso.
But he said evidence shows that Tibet was independent
before China invaded it in 1949.
