DHARAMSHALA, October 5: Dhondup Lhadar, vice-president of Tibetan Youth Congress, who recently sat on a hunger strike in the Indian capital New Delhi, underwent surgery last evening.
Doctors have said the surgery to remove stone build-up, which had caused severe swelling and inflammation of his kidney, has been successful and he is currently out of danger.
Speaking to Phayul this morning, TYC executive Konchok Yangphel said that Lhadar has been advised to remain in the hospital for a few more days until his internal infections are healed.
He was admitted to the Sant Parmanand Hospital early yesterday complaining of excruciating pain in the lower abdomen. Doctors concluded that Lhadar, who was forced to terminate his indefinite hunger strike on the 20th day, should immediately undergo Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy (URS) with DJ Stenting.
Lhadar, along with TYC executives Penpa Tsering and Jigme Sholpa, began their indefinite fast on September 3 in “solidarity with the self-immolators inside Tibet and to appeal for immediate international intervention” in the unfolding Tibet crisis.
Indian authorities forcibly removed the three from their protest site at Jantar Mantar on September 22, and took them to a hospital after all three of them showed major signs of deterioration in their health.
Doctors conducting official check-ups had expressed particular fear over Lhadar, who lost 9kgs, and was referred to immediate medical attention.
Last year, he had taken part in a TYC hunger strike, going without food for 25 days and had since not fully recovered.
“Lhadar barely allowed himself anytime to recover and within few days rejoined office,” TYC said in a release. “It was obvious at the time that the fast had a long-term impact on his health.”
The campaign had come under unusual pressure the very day it began when the hunger strikers were detained citing security reasons due to the presence of a visiting Chinese dignitary in the Indian capital. The three were released on September 6, following which they returned to Jantar Mantar to carry on their fast.
With the hunger strike, TYC appealed the EU, UN, governments and NGOs to immediately fulfil the promises made by them during earlier TYC hunger strikes through a multilateral approach and also demanded China grant immediate access to governments, international organisations and the media to travel in Tibet in order to understand the aspiration of Tibetans inside Tibet.
Dhondup Lhadar’s wife and two-and-a-half year old daughter couldn’t join him before the surgery.
