This account was sent to me by Christa Grenawalt, who is traveling in India right now. Recently, she spent several weeks studying under the Dali Lama. She also participated in marches there supporting Tibetan monks who are protesting Chinese persecution of monks in Lhasa, Tibet. While Christa was sitting in a café near Dharamsala, Tenzin gave her his story of fleeing China in 2000.

– JB Powell

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“My name is Kunchok Tenzin. I was born in 1981 in the Khansu province, Shahog County in Tibet. I became a monk at the Lhabrang Monastery near Lhasa when I was 14 years old.

In 1997, I had to undertake the Patriotic Re-education Campaign started by the Chinese government. Monks are made to denounce his holiness the Dali Lama as a separatist. Many Tibetans are arrested and do not denounce His Holiness. They are often not released and sent to work in labor camps; on the roads, railway, fallen trees or elsewhere.

On top of that, I was only 17 at the time. As part of the Campaign, any monk under the age of 18 was forced to leave the monastery ending the education of young monks. Due to these difficult circumstances, I decided to come to India with a pure aim to receive blessings from the Dali Lama and pursue education. I was not able to tell anyone about my plan to go to India, including my parents.

My childhood friend, Kunchok Gyatso joined me and we made our journey to Lhasa in 2000. We didn’t have any official documents to come to India so we had to escape. We were part of a group of 28 people accompanied by two guides on a small pathway. The trip on foot to cross the border is difficult and dangerous to hike due to challenging terrain and cold weather. On the 28th day of our tireless travel we ran short of food and our guides left us.

When we reached the Nepal area called Zeri we were arrested by Nepalese soldiers. We were taken to a local police station and imprisoned there for two days. All our precious things were snatched away from us. We were released after two days and then hired a vehicle. The driver took us straight to an army cantonment. As we entered the cantonment, my heartbeat ran faster and I became terribly fearful and thought we may be handed over to the Chinese or may be killed by them. All the people got so terrified that every one started to jump out of the vehicle and we got scattered. As we ran the soldiers surrounded us and we became helpless. However, some of us took up stones to defend ourselves. The soldiers commanded us in their body language to put down the stones. Some of the Tibetans at the back did not listen to the command so they kicked us bitterly and beat us strongly with the handles of guns.

Soon the armies went off and we started to head down the road. In about fifteen minutes, the Nepalese soldiers, in full army dress started to chase us. They shot at us and one of the monks was hit in his leg. As we ran I felt a stone flying in front my head. Then I was hit under my left arm. The bullet came out my back and I became unconscious. When I woke, my group mate, Dugcham was supporting me. I saw that he was shot in two spots. I also saw my friend, Kunchok Gyatso shot on his cheek. My childhood friend could not say a word. He held my hands with tears in his eyes. I told him that I am going to die and not to worry about me. Again, I fell unconscious.

When I awoke again, I witnessed a girl shot in her foot. Blood was oozing out. Meanwhile, one of the soldiers came up and kicked away my friend who was supporting me. He then stepped on my neck and pointed the gun at my head. I was dragged and thrown into the truck like a corpse. After five hours we reached Kathmandu. Meanwhile, blood continued bleeding from the check of my friend. I was trying hard to stand up, but I could not. Then a Chinese [note: I think he means Nepalese here. JBP.] soldier sitting at the back door of the truck came up to me; he kicked me and punched me very heavily.

On the way to Kathmandu, when we stopped for a rest, the local people and doctor were very frightened by the police that they dared not check on the wounded among us. Before the day was over, we reached the hospital. I stayed in the hospital for around three months.

My friend, Kunchok Gyatso died before we reached the hospital. The doctors and nurses did not tell me at the time. They were afraid that I could not stand such a shock as I was also seriously injured by the gunshot. I was eventually released to the Reception Center in Kathmandu. When I came to India, my health was so poor that I could not lift a bag myself.

I never think of making revenge from the people who killed my friend, but I am afraid that the killing has a connection with the Chinese Government. My story is one that faces many Tibetans escaping from Tibet to India; some of them are shot, some die and some go missing. I am really concerned with that. I want to, if given the chance, to tell all the people around the world that something inhuman is happening at the border of Tibet and Nepal.

Now owing to the blessing of His Holiness the Dali Lama I am in Namgyal Monastery.”

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Image of Tenzin: Christa Grenawalt