Dharamsala, November 30: A Tibetan wanted for his role in anti-Chinese protests in 2008 has successfully managed to escape into India, a media report said.
Namsa Wangden, originally from Shusor town in Kardze [in Chinese, Ganzi] county in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province, arrived with his wife and daughter in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala during the third week of November, Radio Free Asia reported Monday.
Traditionally, Kardze comes under Kham Province, one of the three traditional provinces of Tibet. The region is known for its strong Tibetan identity and has been at the center of dissent for years. It saw some of the most aggressive protests in the Spring of 2008.
RFA’s report said Wangden was sought by Chinese police for more than two years for taking part in protests against Chinese rule, but was able to evade his pursuers.
Wangden said he and his family members had earlier crossed from Tibet into Nepal in early November, before crossing safely into India.
“We arrived safely at the [refugee] reception centre in Kathmandu in early November. We were still worried about the actions of the Nepalese police, though, and came to Dharamsala in India as soon as possible,” he said.
In recent years, under Chinese pressure, Nepal began to heighten its restrictions on the movements and activities of Tibetan refugees in the country, sometimes forcibly returning them to China when they attempt to cross the border.
Wangden, who with his family crossed into Nepal in a group of six, described heightened security in the area through which they passed.
“The number of Chinese border patrols had increased, and we found it very difficult to escape detection,” he said.
“I had crossed once before into Nepal, when it was easy, but this was a different story. Several barracks had been constructed at the border for the Chinese soldiers who watch the area, and cameras had been set up.”
Wangden said the group successfully passed through the camps on their third attempt.
“We heard that a group of eight tried to cross after us, but were spotted and detained.”
Wangden’s Story
Wangden said he had joined in a protest in Kardze two years before, calling with other Tibetans for greater freedom and for the return of the Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.
He said the Chinese forces reacted by using iron bars and clubs, and even opening fire on the Tibetan demonstrators.
“A friend shouted that we should run, but he could not escape, and he was detained along with 12 other Tibetans,” he said of that fearful day.
Wangden said he escaped into the forest and travelled toward Nyagrong, a neighbouring county, where he stayed in the forest for about four months. He event spent many days without food, before joining a group of Tibetan nomads who were living in the area.
Reaching the Tibetan capital Lhasa with the help of a friend, and joined by his family, Wangden then decided to cross into Nepal, travelling with his wife and daughter and others by the route he had used once before.
“I have been running for almost three years,” he said.
Wangden’s story is similar to that of Tsewang Dhondup, who sussceesfully escaped along with his brother to India in 2009, almost a year after the 2008 unrest in Tibet. Like Wangden, Tsewang is also from Kardze area and he took part in similar protests before finally managing to escape into exile after hiding in forests for several months.
Widespread unrest against Chinese rule broke out across Tibet in 2008, causing official embarrassment ahead of the August 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The India-based Tibetan government-in-exile estimates that at least 220 Tibetans were killed, with another 7,000 detained, in the subsequent region-wide crackdown.
