The Norwegian Tibet Committee is in cooperation with Amnesty International Norway and the Human Rights House Foundation today hosting the newly released political prisoner from Tibet, PHUNTSOG NYIDRON. Since she participated in a peaceful demonstration in Lhasa in Tibet in 1989 she has spent 15 years in prison. Today, on the 15th of December, from 11 to 1230, she will be at the Norwegian Human Rights House to share with us her experiences, but most of all her hopes for a peaceful settlement of Tibet. (15-DEC-06)
Background:
In 1989 the then 19-year-old nun Phuntsog Nyidron participated in a peaceful demonstration In Lhasa in Tibet. Inspired by the news that Dalai Lama had been rewarded with the Nobel Peace Price she and five other nuns yelled “Long live Dalai Lama” and “Free Tibet”. This brought them to nine years of prison.
In 1993 Phuntsog Nyidron and and 13 other nuns secretly in the Drapchi prison recorded various songs that honour Dalai Lama and a free Tibet. The recordings were spread all over the world and the nuns were given the name “Drapchi 14”. The authorities saw the songs as contra-revolutionary propaganda, and all the nuns got their time in prison made many years longer. Phuntsog Nyidron was given an additional punishment of eight years. In 1995 she received the Reebok Price for human rights, but she was unable to personally receive it since she was held in prison at the time.
In 2004 Phuntsog Nyidron was released, but were still kept in house arrest. In March 2006 she got a permission to travel to the Unites States of America. Today she lives in Switzerland.
For interviews with Phuntsog Nyidron, please contact Chungdak Koren, left, pictured with Nyidrog earlier this year, at +47 950 24 443.
