By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, June 22: Tibetans and supporters today celebrated the release of two Tibetan writers, Jhangtse Dhonkho and Bhudha at TCV Day School in McLeod Ganj.
Organized by Students for a Free Tibet, India, the event included recitation of writings by the two writers who were arrested in June 2010 for their articles published in a magazine called “Shar Dhungri”.
A video of the two writers being welcomes by fellow Tibetans was screened. Tibetan ceremonial scarves were also garlanded on their pictures.
Tenzin Tsundue, writer and activist; Bhuchung D Sonam, writer and poet; Lukar Jam, executive member of Gu Chu Sum; Migmar Dolma, former executive member of Tibetan Youth Association Europe; Tashi Lamsang, General Secretary among others read poems by Tibetan writers in Tibet.
Golok Jigme, a Tibetan monk who assisted Dhondup Wangchen in shooting his documentary film Leaving Fear Behind gave a detail account of the two writers. Tenzin Dorjee, former Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet and Lukar Jam spoke about Tibetan poetry, music and the spate of Tibetan writers and artists.
“In the last ten years, there has been a great exchange of communication between Tibetans in Tibet and in exile and one of the main tools of the communication that we have used happens to be music. Great musicians and singers inside Tibet have produced music videos and songs that we out here listened to and vice versa. In the next ten years, one great and strong bridge can be in form of literature,” said Tenzin Dorjee.
He further encouraged the Tibetans and Tibet supporters to read and pay more attention to the writings by Tibetans.
Bhudha, aged 34, is a medical doctor by profession who worked as an editor and writer in his spare time.
Born in 1978, Dhonkho had established a highly-regarded Tibetan daycare center with his friends in their home area of Khyungchu in Ngaba.
Following their release on Friday, hundreds of Tibetans carried the Tibetan ceremonial scarf (khatak) and welcomed Jhangtse Dhonkho and Bhudha. In a picture circulated in a social network,
School students can be seen reading their poems and writings in celebration of their release.
