Dolma la, my host mom, is one of the happiest people I have ever met. Always smiling, always cooking, and always saying “please” when I tell her I really cannot drink the last cup of tea (I think she only knows how to say please and are you tired?). However, beneath this glowing woman is a story I never expected. Sure, she has short hair and is single at age 38 (two things that are VERY odd in Tibetan society) but I never expected her to have been a nun and a political prisoner for 3 years. I wish I could speak better Tibetan (or speak Tibetan all together) so that I could talk with her about her experiences. One request His Holiness the Dalai Lama makes is for people to write down their stories so those who experienced severe hardships in Tibet can be heard around the world.
Dolma la did just that. She showed me her translated story last night and it brought both of us to tears. I feel truly blessed to be learning from such an inspirational woman.
Dolma’s Story
Note: I copied this exactly from her translated copy. Therefore, any spelling and grammar errors I did not correct.
My name is Phuntsok Dolma. I was born in Namgyal Shol, Dongkar in Lhokha. My father’s name is Tsering Topgyal and Lhakyi is my mother. When I was seven I went to the primary school for three years. My family faced financial problems, but it was not possible for me to get a job in the community. But with the help of my relative in Lhasa, I was able to get a job in the hospital for workers. The hospital was situated close to Norbu Linga. I worked there for one year. Then I changed my job and worked in the 2nd wool weaving factory in Lhasa. At age 14, I became a nun, but I continued going to my work.
On March 5, 1988, I and some acquantances went to Barkhor and raised slogans with other people. My acquaintances included Tenzin Cho-nyi, an elderly nun, Tashi Dawa, a young carpenter, Dorjee Tsomo, and Phurdon. Fortunately, nothing unpleasant happened to me. But Tashi Dawa’s feet was injured and he was taken to the Worker’s hospital.
When I was 19 years old, I received full novice ordination from Lamrin Rinpoche of Drepung Monastery. I continued going to my work.
One day in 1990 I listened to a tape cassette of speeches of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the annexation of Tibet by Communist Chinese in 1959 and the immigration of Han Chinese into Tibet. I lent it to others for listening. At that time, a monk from Drigung region, named Dakpa transcribed the speeches into letters, and pasted it on the main road because many people would see them and their morale would be boosted. Later, Dakpa participated in the peaceful rally during the Monlam Chenmo festival and was arrested by the Chinese authorities. He was imprisoned for two months.
After his release he was not permitted to return to Gaden monastery. He was pulling three-wheeler on the streets of Lhasa and living a miserable life. He helped me in the transcription of speeches from the tape.
In May 1990, Ngawang Tseten, a nun, a myself pasted the transcribed speeches at various place on the streets in the hope that people would see them. No bode saw us pasting the letters. Past mid night on May 9, of the year, two officers of Lhasa police station and two policemen knocked the door of my house and found Namdol Konchok, a nun and myself. Using sweet words, they took us away and there were two vehicles parked on the road. They put Namdol Konchok in one vehicle and two policemen escorted her. I was put in the other vehicle and the other two officers escorted me and took us to their office at Bakhor. They kept us at a long distance between us and then they interrogated us.
But there was no relation between us in my campaign. Accordingly, she was not beaten. But I was beaten so severely in front of her. They beat me with the butt of their gun. I became unconscious. Even when I was unconscious they beat me but I did not feel the beatings.
Namdol Konchok was released and was allowed to return to her home. I was beaten again and asked to hand-over my companion to the Chinese. They beat me mercilessly on the head and face until about 3 pm after which I was taken to the police station in a vehicle. Then they took me close to a small dark cell where, they kicked me on the calf of my right leg. After which they put me in the small dark toilet-like cell for seven days and nights without food.
I was then, put in a vehicle and was taken to the police station. There were many officers and they all gave me countless beatings and reprimanded me. Sonam Yangchen, an officer, scolded me and beat me many times. She said that I was a counter-revolutionary and threatened that they would search my house thoroughly, and give prison sentence.
I told Sonam Yangchen that I did not give the tape cassette to anyone. She wanted to know where the tape-cassette was and I told her that since it is the speech from His Holiness I broke and ground it and ate it in the belief that it was a blessing. They could not do anything. So, they took me to their office, and sentenced me for three years imprisonment. I was taken to Gutsa jail. I was made to take off my clothes and stripped naked outside the gate of the prison, and then asked to go in.
There were five jailers – three female and one male. Their names were – Pema, Chungdak, Dekyi, Mayong, and one Chinese boy. They put me in a room whose inmates were three Tibetan prostitutes who had contracted a contagious disease, and one Chinese girl.
There was a tin which was the toilet for all the inmates of the room. Phurbu, a woman political prisoner and Konchok Dolma, a nun from Shugseb nunnery, advised me clandestinely, not to share the tin for toilet as I would contract the other inmates’ diseases. Further, they shared their meals with me, and I was very grateful for them.
The discipline in the jail was strict and the work was very dirty and we had to work very hard. For example, we had to go to the latrine and break the solid human wastes into pieces and carry and spread them into the vegetable garden.
Pachen, the head of the wool factory where I had worked, and Wangchen, the secretary, came to my jail and submitted letters to the jail authorities a few times seeking my release, and guaranteeing that in the future I would never indulge. The elderly jailer told them that I had been sentenced to three years imprisonment but he added that if they would pay Yuan 2,175, they could secure my release. But he warned that I could not move freely as I used to do before my imprisonment, and also that I was not allowed to talk freely.
After spending 19 days I was released from Gutsa jail. My release is by the kindness of the two staff of the wool factory. After some days I went to the wool factory to resume my work. All the workers were happy to see me and they loved me. But when I interacted with other people, they feel scared to talk with me. Worse, when I went to visit the monasteries and other holy places, and to circumambulate, I noticed that I was pursued by a man. This made me feel more hatred towards the Chinese and boosted my morale for my country.
In September 1992, Sherab Sangpo, a monk from Dak-yab region, Konchok Tsutrok, a monk from the Dargyel monastery, Phuntsok Paldon, a nun from Niu Chungri nunnery and I participated in a peaceful procession on Barkhor. We returned to our homes through an alley to avoid being arrested by the Chinese police and we were successful.
But when I arrived home I found that three policemen and Lobsang from security bureau had reached there. They tied my body and hands with a robe and I was subjected to intense interrogation. Lobsang threatened me that I would be given life imprisonment, adding that there were one or two reactionaries in our region. Then gave me many beatings.
In the hope of saving myself from the untold beatings and torture I pretended to be insane, or dead, and I even bit the leg of a man, and I talked aimlessly, and at times I shouted at the top of my lung. My teacher, and two fellow disciples and some neighbours helped me much by claiming that my mind was not stable, and assured the authorities about my future conduct. Thus, I was spared from going to prison. They said that they would decide my fate the next day.
The next day I pretended to have an unsound mind, and the policemen said that there was no punishment for an insane person. But they threatened that when I shouted, there was a political tone, so, even if I was not imprisoned, I should be expelled from my home. Further, I was banned from making contact with my relations. They warned that if I made contact I would be fined a sum of Chinese Yuan 500,. Four of my relatives had to sign on a document at the police station.
On September 7, 1992, I was expelled from my home. I had no where to go. Thus, I went to Phuntsok Paldon, a nun and stayed with her for three days. Three days later, she suggested that it would be good if I could go to India. She added that she had some barley flour and Yuan 21, which she would give me for use during my journey. She further said that Lodoe Rinchen, my brother is in India and he would help me.
Then I went to Yeshe Tsomo hailing from Tehor region and who is acquainted with me. She was staying close to Ramoche temple, and I asked her to put me at her home for a few days. I also asked her to find someone who would guide me to go to India. She found one and I did not have to pay even the fees.
On September 13th, of the year we set out from Lhasa and escaped through Solu Khumbu. My health was not good, so I could not catch up with the rest members of the escaping group. I was left behind alone by three days. I finally caught up with my journey mates at the monastery of Trulshi Rinpoche. I did not have anything to eat nor any clothing to wear. I had about thirty journey mates, and amongst them Phurbu Chungdak was very kind to me. There were seven people who cook and ate together.
They gave me food to eat the clothes to wear. It took us twenty four days journey. We then took a vehicle and on the night of October 8th, we reached the Reception Centre in Kathmandu. The authorities at the reception centre gave us Rupees 800, each and gave us food for two days.
Then I was sent to the Reception centre in Dharamsala from Kathmandu with Kelsang, a monk from the Namgyal monastery. I had many journey mates from Kathmandu but they all went to southern India from Delhi. I reached the Reception Centre at Dharamsala on October 15. But I could not get an admission in a nunnery at Dharamsala. So I stayed at room No. 15, of the Reception centre for one month and seventeen days. I had to pay rent for the room. After which I was admitted at the Geden Choeling nunnery.
But I had to pay bill for food expenses in the nunnery, and also stay out side the nunnery. I stayed with Lodoe Rinchen, a tailor at Kyidong village.
My birth name is Dolkar and Phuntsok Dolma is my ordination name. At present I am staying at the Retreat temple at McLeod Ganj. In Lhasa I stayed at the Gyalgo, Shol.
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