1988年10月的一天晚上,已是深夜时分,我被一通来自美国的电话吵醒。我当时住在日本,教授英文,偶尔为日本时报写书评。之前几年,我在西藏流亡小区的二十年工作才刚刚结束——我本来是西藏话剧团(Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, TIPA)的团长,为了一两出戏中别人所认为的不敬之处而遭到解雇(还加上一帮暴力的摩洛甘济McLeod Ganj的暴民的帮助 )。
仁波切在美国一开始并不顺利,他的健康不佳,又不会说英语,也没有钱。但他慢慢地学习着英语(在加州柏克莱),甚至在印度政府无法更新他的居留证而美国政府又不给他庇护时,停留在日本寺院几年,期间学会了日语。CIA当时因为西藏的代表与北京签订了十七条协议,而达赖喇嘛也返回了拉萨,对塔泽仁波切已经失去了原来的兴趣。最后,大概三年之后,他在美国基督教世界救济会(Church World Service)的朋友,为仁波切取得返回美国的许可。他在哥伦比亚大学向几个学生教授没有学分的藏语课程,因此赚取一点微薄的收入,而他的仆人顿珠嘉赞则必须到工厂里去作工。我从他的自传里得到的印象是,仁波切在他小小的纽约公寓里每天晚上都在“……根据传统的西藏食谱”煮汤(很有可能是汤库thinkhuk,是一种羊肉或牦牛肉与青棵熬煮加盐的美味汤)。
From October 2007 until March 2008, Dhondup Wangchen carried out a dangerous journey through the Eastern areas of Tibet.He wanted to record the views of ordinary Tibetans on the 2008 Olympic Games in China.Shortly after filming finished, Dhondup Wangchen and his helper were arrested.
Film starts....DW talks to camera:I am not an educated man.I have never been to school. However, I would like to say a few things.What I would like to talk about comes from a discussion that a few of us had a few months ago.What we were discussing was that before the 2008 Olympic Games are going to be held in China we should gather informationabout whether Tibetans in Tibet agree with the Games and their views on them.
LEAVING FEAR BEHIND TIBETANS SPEAK ON TIBET, CHINA AND THE OLYMPICS
不再恐惧 ——西藏人关于西藏、中国以及奥运会的真实言说 ________
Monk in a remote place: If the 2008 Olympic Games take place, then they should stand for freedom and peace. As a Tibetan, I have neither freedom nor peace. Therefore I don't want these Games.
Young girl in blue coat: We have no independence or freedom so Tibetans have no reason to celebrate. The Chinese have independence and freedom so it's something that they can celebrate. Take me for example, I think the Olympics are important but I don't like them.
Young man: I've heard that all the countries of the world are gathering there to take part in a peaceful event. However, Tibetans aren't allowed to attend. The Dalai Lama is famous all over the world for peace. I feel this and many others, too...it's difficult to put in words...I feel it is the wish of thousands of Tibetans that he can go to the Olympic Games.
Old man: I really don't know what to make of these Olympic Games. It remains to be seen until August 2008. I feel very uncertain, as though I'm wandering in the dark and don't know where it's safe to step. I don't trust the Chinese at all. Not one bit.
Monk indoors: The situation is very dangerous. Actually we would be happy about the Games but much is being misrepresented. China was awarded the Games on the condition that the situation in China and Tibet would improve. They made many promises to the whole world to grant more freedoms, democracy and other basic rights. They were only awarded the Games because they made these promises. However, after they were awarded the Games, there has been no greater freedom or democracy and repression is getting stronger and stronger.
DW talks to camera: The Chinese are saying that they have made so many improvements in Tibet. But we don't see any improvement at all. Tibetans are forcibly relocated. Nomads are not allowed to graze their cattles in the pastures. Are such tight controls an improvement? No! Under the pretext of setting up civilised cities, many Tibetans are forced to relocate. Such buildings look nice from the outside and outsiders may think that the Tibetans are treated very well and that they are happy. But the truth is that Tibetans are not free to speak of their suffering.
Man sitting in the fields: The Chinese say that if Tibetans live high up in the mountains it's not convenient transport wise and makes life difficult and, for example, makes it hard for children to go to school. That's the kind of thing they say. That's what they say but it's really not right. The reason why they don't say the truth is because our land is very valuable and rich in natural resources. Because they want these resources, they use nice words and cheat us, like you'd cheat children, to make us move.
Old man in red hat: These days they are dividing the land with fences all over the land and valleys. The animals aren't allowed to enter these areas for 5 to 10 years so have nowhere to graze. Instead, they pay out compensation to the farmers and nomads and it's considered illegal to refuse. The main aim is to gather the farmers in one place and fence them in. Fences are built and thorns are planted so that it's not possible for farmers to grow anything. If they succeed, they'll create an environment impossible for Tibetans to live in.
Man with blurred face: The aim of our association is to preserve the Tibetan language and culture in our villages. We were so worried about losing our culture that we started this association. No matter how far or difficult the journey we travel around and educate the illiterate, we teach the Tibetan alphabet and encounter all kinds of difficulties on the way. Our motorbikes break down on the way but we don't let anything stop us, the main thing is that we work hard to educate ourselves.
- You are so young and yet you have taken on all this responsibility and faced many obstacles. What motivates you?
你年纪这么轻,但你已经承担起所有这些责任并且还要面对很多障碍。你的动力是什么?
- The main reason is for all Tibetans to become like one family. It's important to educate illiterate people and teach Tibetans their own language.
主要原因在于希望让所有西藏人亲如一家。让不识字的人受到教育并教会西藏人他们自己的语言非常重要。
Interview with a local woman with blurred face:
采访一位面孔被虚化的当地妇女
- Do you think the teachers and classes are good?
你觉得这些老师和课程好不好?
- Yes, they are really good, that's why the children are learning so well.
是的,确实好,孩子们也因此学得很好。
- Do any of your family members study here?
你家里有什么人在这里学习吗?
- Yes, I have three children and they all come here. Seeing as I don't know how to read and write, I hope my children can learn those skills here. It's because I want them to learn these skills that I am happy for them to come here. Even though I'm afraid to stay at home on my own, it's worth it for their education.
Young man dressed in black, outdoors: Our language is in danger. The reason for this is because Tibetans are a minority. For every Tibetan, there are ten to fifteen Chinese. The Chinese are everywhere in these Tibetan areas. Everywhere you look there are Chinese people and you hear Chinese everywhere. Chinese words are used when speaking Tibetan and Tibetan words are used when speaking Chinese. Tibetans are not a people without culture, we have a rich culture inherited from our ancestors.
DW talks to camera: Nowadays, what China is saying is that they are preserving and improving Tibetan culture and language. That's what they are telling the world. Many organisations and offices have been set up for these things. What they say and what they do are totally different, opposites. If they really want to preserve and improve Tibetan culture and language, they should withdraw all the Chinese people living in Tibetan areas. Tibetan culture and language has to be practiced in all Tibetan areas. If it's not practiced, how can it be preserved? It can't. The situation in Tibet, instead of improving, is getting worse and worse every year.
One of the main difficulties we faced in making this film was coming face to face with the people, not being able to guarantee their safety and to gain their consent. Some people were eager to work with us. Many said that if I succeeded in offering the film to His Holiness, then they wouldn't regret it, even if they had to die. They were willing to be filmed. I also asked clearly about filming and explained that they didn't have to show their faces. Some said that we absolutely had to show their faces, otherwise it wasn't worth speaking to them.
Monk, indoors, wearing glasses: They say that there is freedom of religion. There is no freedom at all. The main reason is that theDalai Lama is not here. He's the most precious for all Tibetans. If he and the Panchen Lama were in Tibet, all beings would benefit. Never mind the Dalai Lama being allowed to return to Tibet, the local authorities and governors are being taken to China and are being told to publicly announce that they don't wish for the Dalai Lama's return. They are paid a lot of money in exchange. They have to guarantee their loyalty by signing a document with their fingerprints. They have to show how much they are against the Dalai Lama and this is the picture they want to paint to the world.
[Crowd of Tibetans watching a DVD of the Dalai Lama receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, they prostrate and many of them are crying]
【一群藏人在观看达赖喇嘛获得美国国会金质奖章的一部DVD,他们拜倒在地,很多人在哭泣。】
Old man, crying: We are offering all our prayers to the Dalai Lama. We keep him in all our prayers. We may only be simple nomads but this is what we believe.
Old man, sitting crossed legged and bent over:For the Dalai Lama to come back is my greatest wish and dream but it doesn't look like this will be realised. [Breaks down, bursts into tears] Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama, I pray to you. I only have to hear his name and I am filled with faith, devotion and deep deep sadness.The situation is hopeless. I feel exhausted. It's as though I were walking alone, with no destination, endlessly.
Old lady with her hands together as though praying: I'm 60 years old and the chance to meet him just once before I die would be worth more to me than 100 horses and 1000 bulls.
Young nomad girls standing in the field, one is holding a child: We are just nomads who have never been to school. What we want to say is that we hope the Dalai Lama will come back to Tibet soon.
Young man: We're not free to possess photos of the Dalai Lama so we have to hide them. [shows his hidden photos which are in a cupboard] If the government finds them they confiscate them. A while ago we were told that these kinds of photos were not allowed so we have to keep them secret. Otherwise they'll be taken away.
DW talks into camera: It is important for Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet to think about getting Tibet back into our own hands. It can't be achieved by just one man. All of us should unite and pool our efforts together. That's very important. We are not asking for complete independence. The Middle Way approach, followed by His Holiness, is our main standpoint. When it comes down to it, it's important to follow this path.
[DW reading a newspaper where the date clearly shows: March 10, 2008]
【DW阅读一张报纸,日期清晰地显示为:2008年3月10日】
DW voiceover: We are close to finishing our project. Our footage is ready to be taken to China. Either tomorrow or the day after. My aim for this film is not to make a famous or particularly entertaining film. This film is about the plight of the Tibetan people - helpless and frustrated. Therefore I hope that everyone will pay special attention and support it. That's my biggest hope.
A few days after they had completed filming, Dhondup Wangchen and his helper were arrested.Tapes of all 108 interviews they conducted were sent to a safe place out of the country on March 10, 2008.On the same day historic mass Tibetan protests started across the Tibetan plateau.As of August 6th 2008, the eve of the Olympic Games, Dhondup Wangchen and his helper, Golog Jigme, are still in detention.
A Voice from Tibet: VOA Tibetan service exclusive video interview:
Draft translation
VENERABLE JIGME, A MONK FROM LABRANG MONASTERY IN GANSU PROVINCE SPEAKS ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE FOLLOWING THE WIDESPREAD PROTESTS THAT ERUPTED THROUGHOUT THE TIBETAN AREAS OF CHINA IN MARCH/APRIL 2008.
[This translation of the 20 minute statement is accurate in content but is not a direct translation of every single phrase, word, and figure of speech. References to the identity of Chinese security and detention apparatuses are translated from colloquial Tibetan and may not be technically accurate.]
This year, on the 15th day of the second Tibetan month (March 22, 2008), after the assembly was over at the monastery, I went to the market. There I sat at the side of a taxi-stand and got a shoe repaired. As I was returning to the monastery, I received a call on my mobile phone. I looked at the phone, but there was no number visible. Suddenly a white vehicle appeared, and stopped in front of me. Four soldiers arrested me and dragged me into the vehicle. When I looked back, I saw a nun. I shouted "Ani! Ani! (nun, nun!) several times and made sure she saw me getting arrested. Once in the vehicle, they covered my head with a black cloth and handcuffed me. Then with guns pointed to my head, and my body pressed down, they took me to the armed police guest house.
The guest house is at the back of the local police station. There they removed the cloth covering my head but kept the handcuff. Afterwards, they searched my body and took my phone, wallet and everything. I was put on a chair with my hands tied at the back. A young soldier pointed an automatic rifle at me and said in Chinese, "This is made to kill you, Ahlos (derogatory term used for Tibetans by some Chinese). You make one move, and I will definitely shoot and kill you with this gun. I will throw your corpse in the trash and nobody will ever know", When I heard this, I was not terrified by the gun pointed at my head but thinking that this man is not only a soldier or security personnel, but also a law enforcement officer; however, here he is pointing a gun at an ordinary citizen and uttering such words……. made me very sad…. as if my heart was shattered into two pieces.
This is the case of a powerful nationality harassing and oppressing a small nationality, a big nation making weapons to kill a small nationality; if they are doing such things at the lower levels, there is no need to say that they are doing worse things to us at higher levels. The way they oppress and murder Tibetans, and can utter such words while pointing with guns, stunned me. By telling us that Tibetans could be killed and our dead body dumped in the trash and that nobody would know - We are not even treated like dogs and pigs. If other people's dogs and pigs are killed, there will be somebody to claim them. Then why won't Tibetans be claimed after death? We are ordered not to claim our fellow Tibetan's body even after death. At that time, I realized that there is no racial equality.
During the detention, one of the many questions they asked me were, "Did the Dalai Lama instigate you? Did the Dalai Lama ask you to carry out this looting, burning and destruction?". "How do you view the Dalai Lama? "As for me, I am a follower of Buddhism. The Dalai Lama is like my life, heart and soul. In that I am not alone. For all the six million Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is their spiritual refuge in this life as well as the next. The Dalai Lama is widely respected for his tremendous efforts made towards world peace. He is the champion of world peace. He has established a path of non-violence. I totally reject their accusation that the Dalai Lama has master minded acts of looting, burning and destruction. The Dalai Lama can never such things. Even an ordinary monk like myself cannot urge anybody to burn, loot and destroy.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is like the soul of the six million Tibetans. There is no way we can be parted from Him. As a Tibetan monk, historically, we have a teacher-disciple relationship. We must maintain this relationship. We have unwavering faith in the Dalai Lama. This was what I answered to the question of how I view the Dalai Lama.
After keeping us at the detention center for a few days, they took us to the jail. At the prison, the soldiers commanding us in Chinese 'one, two, three', as some of us could not understand Chinese, they scolded us - they would call us "animals', 'fools', and beat us with batons. When we asked why they are beating us, they reply that you people cannot understand Chinese language and mock us. My question is: In the Charter and Constitution of the People's Republic of China, it is enshrined that, in the regional areas of different nationalities, the language of that particular nationality is to be used and that the regional nationality must be given the right to govern. Then why is that, in the Tibetan areas, instead of using Tibetan language, Tibetans are not only verbally abused as "animals" and "fools" but are physically beaten just because he does not understand the Chinese language?
There is no differentiation on the basis of one's actions or age. For instance, monks as young as fourteen and fifteen and as old as sixty and seventy year old were arrested. No difference is made whether they are involved in protests or not. We had no clothes on our back nor shoes on our feet. Two monks would be tied together and put in the vehicle to be driven away. They are thrown in the vehicle like you would throw logs of wood. Even if some of them had their heads injured, and for some, their hands broken, they were all taken to the prison. Relatives or friends were not allowed to bring food, clothing or beddings. We had to huddle together to bear the cold. The reason why we were so severely beaten is solely because we are Tibetans. For that we feel extremely sad.
We were taken to a prison in Kachu (Linxia in Chinese). All the prisoners there were Chinese and Muslim Chinese. We were the only Tibetan prisoners. Everyday, we had to remove urine and excrement barefooted, and wash the floors. At the prison, we were forced to take off our monk's robes and put on clothes of layman. I am a Buddhist monk and it is humiliating to disrobe and put on a layman's clothes, and to be handcuffed and taken away, barefooted, in a vehicle. In the prison, the condition was very poor - There was not enough to eat or drink and nothing to wear. There wasn't even a towel to clean the face.
I was kept there for one month during which time I was handcuffed in one position for many days and nights. During interrogations, I was accused of having contacts outside: with the Dalai Lama, Samdhong Rinpoche, and Ajia Rinpoche, and that I have to acknowledge that I have these outside contacts. Likewise, I was told that I have contacts inside with scholars and teachers. "You have been involved in activities and have led organizations. You have made calls to many outside provinces. What have you achieved from those? Where did you print the Tibetan flags? How many flags did you print? How many members are there in your group?", and "you have no choice but to accept these crimes". They would hang me up for several hours with my hands tied to a rope….. hanging from the ceiling and my feet above the ground. Then they would beat me on my face, chest, and back, with the full force of their fists. Finally, on one occasion, I had lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital. After I regained consciousness at the hospital, I was once again taken back to prison where they continued the practice of hanging me from the ceiling and beating me. As a result, I again lost conscious and then taken to the hospital a second time. Once I was beaten continuously for two days with nothing to eat nor a drop of water to drink. I suffered from pains on my abdomen and chest. The second time, I was unconscious for six days at the hospital, unable to open my eyes or speak a word.
In the end, when I was on the verge of dying, they handed me over to my family. At my release, my detainers lied to the provincial authorities by telling them that that they had not beaten me. Also, they lied to my family members by telling them that they had not beaten me; they also made me put down my thumbprint (as a signature) on a document that said that I was not tortured. I had to stay for about twenty days at a hospital and spent twenty thousand Chinese yuan to get treatment.
On my return to the monastery, friends told me that 180 monks had been arrested. The monks had done nothing wrong. Our senior monk and the official lama (teacher) too were arrested. They were made to stand on the tip of their toes at night, and were beaten with the butts of guns on their back. The Chinese took pictures with their mobile phones as they were beating the monks on their necks.
I also found out that during the police and soldiers raiding the monastery, they stole religious statues, money, personal belongings and even foodstuff from the monastery and monks' private residences. It is apparent that the real looters and murderers are these soldiers of Chinese Communist Party. They engage in illegal acts and we are the ones who are arrested, beaten and tortured and killed.
Also, we are accused of aligning with the Dalai clique and instigating riots among the public. If there is real racial equality, freedom of expression and freedom of religion, then why are we not allowed to respect the figure for whom we have faith in our heart of hearts? Right in front of our eyes, they stamp with their feet on the picture of the Precious One (The Dalai Lama), break the picture frames with butts of guns, shred the pictures into pieces and burn them in the fire. We, being Tibetans and Buddhists, when we see the picture of our object of refuge being trodden under foot, and torn into pieces, we view these as irreparable acts. When Tibetans break a few windowpanes, they say that such acts caused hundreds of millions of yuan worth of damage. How do you measure the damage caused to our hearts by seeing our most revered One's picture trampled under foot? The Chinese leadership says that the goal is to achieve a harmonious society, but at the same time continue to vilify the Dalai Lama, a figure that all Tibetans respect and honor as their spiritual head…..how can we begin to feel harmony when our values are denigrated and trodden on.
Monks are being beaten off and on all during this period . Not only that, monks who spoke to some reporters were beaten with batons and had their legs broken; on some, they used electric batons on their heads and in their mouths - the electric baton affected their brains and some have become disabled… sort of insane. We endured such torture. Now our main hope is that the International media and the United Nations' investigators come to Tibet and check on the real situation and then report on it after they assess their findings. This is our main hope.
The Chinese are telling us that Tibetans have done illegal things and are arresting and beating us, and even killing many people. Many people have fled to the mountains and dare not return to their homes and families. It will help if the world media see these things and report about them.
The Dalai Lama did not instigate us to do anything. His Holiness did not tell us to fight for independence. His Holiness never said anything of this sort. Many of us support the Dalai Lama's middle way approach and the process of solving Tibet's issue through peaceful dialogue. But we are sad about being extremely oppressed today. Today, I, as a witness to truth, am telling through the media, the story of Tibetans killed, undergoing torture in prisons, and about the countless who have been forced to flee to the mountains and are too afraid to return to their homes, so that the media can truthfully report on these situations. This is my hope.
Officers from the security office and secret service as well as task teams have visited my room in the monastery, and are keeping close watch on me. Even now here is one man purposely watching me. I am not allowed to go out, nor am I allowed to make phone calls. I am with a thick copy of the Chinese constitution to study; I am ordered to write a confession. Only that I am not physically in a prison, but have no freedom whatsoever.
These days there are series of actions taken on us, not just in Labrang, not just in Amdo, but in Kham and central Tibet too. Many Tibetans are being killed, many oppressed and arrested. We heard that more than 200 Tibetans were killed and several thousand arrested. Still the beatings and arrests have not stopped. For us, access to news is blocked; we are not allowed to watch news or put up a satellite dish nor are we allowed to listen/watch news from the United States and other foreign countries. We are ordered to watch and listen to domestic broadcasts. We are told not to listen to foreigners nor to talk to them. As such, where is the freedom of expression? Where is the freedom of religion?
Tibetan people are undergoing all kinds of suffering. For me personally, I am a Buddhist monk at Labrang monastery. I was one of those arrested this year. I said these to the face of my captors: if you kill me, then that will be the end of it. But if am able to go outside and get the opportunity, I will talk about the torture I went through; I will tell the people of the world as a truthful witness, about the sufferings undergone by friends and report these to the media.
Even when I was released, I was told not to tell that I was beaten; I was warned not to contact anyone outside. But I cannot just keep shut about the tortures I went through, or the suffering borne by friends. This is also my reason for telling you this today. Still there is a harsh crackdown taking place in Tibetan areas and restrictions on the movement of Tibetans.
These days, the authorities tell us to support the Olympic Games, but Tibetans around here are not even allowed to travel to Lanzhou, let alone go to Beijing to watch and support the games. We are not even allowed to go outside our own areas. Because of the Olympics, even all traditional festivals, celebrations and religious rituals have been banned.
There is military presence in every place. In the barn belonging to our monastery, they have made effigies out of straw and dressed them in Tibetan robes. The Chinese soldiers use them for doing bayonet practice. It seems that their enemy are the Tibetan people and the robe-wearing monks. Not all arrested Tibetans were involved in protests. Why are they stabbing their bayonets on the effigy with Tibetan dress as their military exercise? It is not just monks who are suffering as a result of the Chinese viewing Tibetans as their enemy…..even Tibetan staff members, students and the ordinary Tibetans…. all are suffering. This big government, big country, and big nationality is using weapons, tanks and cannons on a small, humble people such as the Tibetans. Thousands of soldiers are surrounding us. 'Kill the Tibetans who are disobedient', they ordered.
In this 21st century, the people of the world are walking on the path to world peace. The peace-loving people and the supporters of truth should expose China for blocking the media and restricting reporters from seeing what is going on inside Tibet. I would like the world's Press, the United Nations and human rights organizations to pay attention and find a solution to the current dire situation for the Tibetan people. You can pressure China to conduct meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives for a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibet-China issue. It is the hope and wish of the Tibetans inside Tibet to invite the Dalai Lama to Tibet. The Chinese Communist Party has stated that stability and unity are important goals for the nation. Now if both the Dalai Lama and the CCP work together to solve the Tibet-China issue through dialogue for the mutual benefit of both the Chinese and Tibetans, there is no reason why genuine and long lasting peace, stability and unity cannot be achieved.
文革在西藏的历史影像及其评述《杀劫》(Forbidden Memory:Tibet During the Cultural Revolution 台湾大块文化出版公司,2006年)。 介绍:四十年的记忆禁区,镜头下的西藏文革,第一次公开。并获《中国时报》2006年度中文创作类十大好书奖)。 邮购:大块文化http://www.locuspublishing.com/Searching.aspx?bs=%e5%94%af%e8%89%b2&kd=2 博客来网路书店http://search.books.com.tw/exep/prod_search.php?exact=1&cat=booksall 香港书城http://www.hkbookcity.com/searchbook2.php?key=author&keyword=唯色&startnum=1