Delhi, July 4 : Two persons have become critical since the launch of indefinite hunger strike in Delhi’s Tihar Jail by the Tibetan Youth Congress members. The strike began June 29 when the TYC general secretary Mr. Tsultrim announced it from the prison. Gyaltsen, a 20-yr-old man from Manali chapter of TYC has become critical which could get worse as he is a Tuberculosis patient. A 78 yr-old man Samdup from Dekyiling was hospitalised yesterday in a semiconscious state by the jail authorities after his health deteriorated.
The indefinite hunger strike has become a nagging problem for the jail authorities. According to TYC’s Information Secretary Dhondup Dorjee, those who came visiting the detained TYC members in Tihar were coaxed at each and every turn by the gatekeeper, staff at PRO office and the assistant Jailer to ask the members to end the strike. Mr. Dorjee said they appeared worried and concerned about the waning health of the 50 detainees.
“They looked weak; 9 days of detention and 5 days without food in the searing heat of Delhi summer showed and it is taking a toll on their health”, Mr. Dorjee told Phayul after making one of his routine visits to Tihar. He, however, had some unpleasant news to share about the way the detainees were treated by the jail staff since they began their indefinite hunger strike.
Dorjee quoted the detained TYC general secretary, Tsultrim as saying, “The Director General of Prison and the Jail Superintendent has been trying all their way out to halt the hunger strike. But we were firm on our decision and never moved. Today they dispersed all our members and separated us into different cells with maximum 5 members in each cell”.
Some members are feeling vulnerable after the deliberate separation of the group. Mr. Nawang of TYC Dickyiling now has criminals as his cellmates.
Mr. Dorjee also quoted Mr. Paljor, the detained vice president of TYC Manali chapter as saying that some of the authorities threatened and warned when the detainees refused to eat. Harsh and rude words were used to pressure them into ending the strike.
Of the nine women (including 5 nuns) detained in the women’s cell, some were forced to to eat fruits on the third morning as they listened to abusive languages used against them. They had to face the wrath of their Jail Superintendent and authorities. According to Mr. Dorjee, nun Dickyi from Domaling Nunnery said, “Some girls shed tears out of helplessness when the authorities tried to discourage our members by asking us to protest inside Tibet and mistreated us. We just told them protest demonstration inside Tibet was not possible under Communist China’s Stalinist rule. Even keeping His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s picture is a crime inside Tibet. We are here in a democratic and free world, representing the voice of 6 million Tibetans to express our frustrations and opposition to the Chinese rule inside Tibet”.
The TYC Information Secretary said he could not submit a memorandum to the Chinese embassy on July 1. Memorandums were submitted to the United Nations as well as the Indian prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. He was escorted to the embassy by a Sub Inspector from Parliament Street Police Station but when he reached there, the on-duty Police Officer at the embassy yelled at and scolded the sub inspector for accompanying Mr. Dorjee to the embassy. After a brief row, Mr. Dorjee said the the officer at the Embassy told him about the strict instructions from the embassy not to let any Tibetans inside the premises.
About the fate of the 50 Tibetans detained in Tihar, Mr. Dorjee said, “The Special Executive Magistrate will give his verdict on July, 7. Till then there is no certainty on the release of our members. Since, our members have denied coming out on bail, it’s all up to the DCP and concerned Indian Department. I was told by an official that this time they did receive strict instructions from their higher authorities”.
The 50 detained Tibetan Youth Congress activists were first arrested at the Chinese Embassy on June 26 by the Delhi Police for protesting against China’s railway line in Tibet.
