Lathi Charge and Dal-roti
(Tibetan Review | April 2004)
We were ready to jump, all 48 of us – mostly young Tibetans, some elders
too – ready to pounce at the Chinese Embassy in Delhi. We waited with
bated breath, lying low, communicating in signals and whispers on mobile phones.
On the count of 3, we charged towards the gate screaming "Free Tibet!"
The two lonesome Indian policemen at the gate were caught unaware;
in shock, they threatened to fire at us. There was much commotion and
within minutes, police reinforcement rushed in from all sides;
lathi-charged us and in 20 minutes we were packed off to the police
station nearby.
This happened in January last year, when China executed Pawo Lobsang
Dhondrup. We refused to remain silent. We were few in number, but
determined, ready to face any consequences. But the planning was bad, as a
result neither were we able to significantly register our protest at the
embassy nor was there good media coverage. This column attempts to
understand and estimate the nature and effectiveness of Tibetan political
activism in India. Since we are in exile, most of our direct actions have
been symbolic and non-violent. Most of them are meant to draw the world's
attention to the injustices China is subjecting Tibetans to, while others
target resident or visiting Chinese officials.
After the embassy protest, we were solemnly collecting ourselves at the
Chanakyapuri police station. The initial excitement, nervousness and
uncertainty had been defused. The blows from the police batons we received
on our heads, shoulders and butts had started paining. The younger boys
were showing each other their bruises and black eyes, excitedly narrating
their part of the story, not betraying any signs of pain. In my 10 years
of activism, I have not seen anyone express pain or remorse, only a sense
of achievement.
There have been cases of Tibetans returning home from protest rallies with
broken hands and cracked skulls after clashing with the police. Still we
believed sometimes rules need to be broken, and we continued to speak up
for Tibet, risking limbs and lives. A typical case is Tashi Phuntsok and
Pasang Tsering, who were wounded by police fire during a protest in Delhi,
when the then Chinese Premier Li Peng visited India in 2001. What follows
in police custody isn't very exciting. The police make a personal record
of each protestor and our youngsters give them names that cannot be
mentioned in here. The police then files a case and summons are served to
individuals or organisations.
Tibetan Youth Congress still faces some cases that are yet to be resolved
years after the protest. The case of 11 protestors who walked to Delhi
from Hunsur Tibetan refugee camp, hurled petrol bombs at the Chinese
Embassy in 1992 is yet to be resolved. Samphel and Jamyang of TYC
confirmed that the case of 7 RTYC members from Chandigarh storming the
Chinese Embassy in 1999 has been resolved already. The most irritating
part of attending a court case is that nothing really happens, one simply
gets another 'Tarik' (date) after the personal appearance.
I have been called thrice in two months to attend the case regarding my
Oberoi climbing protest when Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji visited
Mumbai in January 2002. Besides small expenditures and frequent
long-distance travel, such appearances are one of the most drab and
ridiculous human exercises. Many friends were excited about the 'court
case in a freedom struggle,' they fantasised a Bollywood-style court
drama, where the lawyer screams his guts out in a palatial dome, with
hundreds of people seated in suspended animation!
My case was one among 36 the judge heard that morning before lunch. The
47th court of Mumbai Magistrate at the Esplanade looked like a classroom
with a hundred people in attendance. The judge sat in his chair behind a
huge brown wooden desk. The black coat lawyers sat in front and faced the
judge like dutiful students. Two policemen maintained order in the
'classroom.' My name was called out in between and I was asked to stand in
the witness box. The bespectacled 60-something judge said something to my
lawyer and then whispered something to his woman assistant and then
declared "23rd April!" That's it. My case is heard. Another date is given.
No decision taken yet again. Everything ended within those 2 ridiculous
minutes. I could have stayed back in Dharamsala and cooked Maggie noodles
instead! Fighting a case at the court is like opening your mouth for the
dentist with a leap of faith; you never know what is being done to you!
Attending summons is boring and yet it is an essential part of the protest
work. It is important to perform the rigmarole at the police station and
at the court responsibly and with dignity. Dealing with court cases has no
charm, that's why the clean-up process remains the backstage story. For
that, one should deal with lawyers and media with patience and
sensibility.
Jail is a novel experience and I strongly recommend it for your personal
growth. I have been to five different prisons and each has been unique
experience. It's an honour receiving a jail term, however small, for
having worked for a cause as noble as a freedom struggle. Here even
robbers, murderers and cheats respect you. You must taste the dal-roti and
sleep in the blankets that have perhaps never seen water. It is thick and
heavy, sodden with dirt and smell. Criminals of all kinds and reputation
have slept in it. Tihar jail, the favourite destination for protestors in
Delhi, serves dal-roti that has become a hit with Tibetan youth. On an
emotional note, it is endearing to see friends coming to meet you at the
jail, especially with food.
Most of our activism has been reactions to Chinese activities, rather than
proactive initiatives. Protest rallying have been one of our old tricks,
but with very little creativity and updated slogans, the rallies hardly
inspire our own people. And yet, "the show must go on," opines Karma
Yeshi, former TYC Vice-President, "These actions keep our issue alive and
remind our people here in exile of the struggle."
We need to bring in creativity and novelty in our activism, which can
inject dynamism to the struggle, especially now, when most of the
organisers in RTYCs, RTWAs and student associations are youngsters. Many
people tell me that they are not interested in traditional protest rallies
and demand other kinds of action. The future of activism is difficult to
predict. With the coming of young leaders, we are undergoing a transition.
All said and done, I ask the essential question – what is the ultimate
goal of the struggle? The usual Middle Way vs Independence debate seems to
have created confusion in our community. I pray your love of Tibet gives
you the wisdom to understand and make your own decision, stand by it and
get into action. That will give birth to a genuine democracy, which will
nourish our community in the long run.
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