Name: Tsering Kyipa
(Alias: No)
Gender: Female
Interview Age: 72
Date of Birth: 1935
Birthplace: Tsatoo, Utsang, Tibet
Year Left Tibet: 1959
Profession: Farming
Monk/Nun: No
Political Prisoner: No
Interview No.: 9
Date: 2007-07-01
Language: Tibetan
Location: Lugsung Samdupling Settlement, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India
Categories: Chinese Invasion and Occupation
Keywords: brutality/torture, childhood memories, Chinese -- oppression under, Chinese rule -- life under, forced labor, monasteries -- destruction of , thamzing/struggle sessions, Utsang
Summary:
When Tsering Kyipa was a child, her parents gave her to a family in a place called Sha-Sima as an adopted daughter. Her adopted parents treated her very poorly and once she was accused of stealing the cash box. Unable to bear this difficult life, she ran away to her parents, but her mother once again gave her to a new family. Later, her parents forced her to marry.
Tsering Kyipa and her husband worked on a road crew for the Chinese and later became farmers. Though Tsering Kyipa personally was not subjected to thamzing 'struggle sessions' because she belonged to the class the Chinese wanted to use for labor, she saw many others undergo thamzing. She fainted the first time she witnessed it and was able to warn several families to escape before they were taken for thamzing. Tsering Kyipa also witnessed the destruction of local monasteries.
Tsering Kyipa's parents left for India after being informed they would be subjected to thamzing. She was unable to go with them because her husband was away. Later the Chinese allowed her to visit her parents in India so she is one of very few Tibetans with official travel documents. She returned to Tibet once before moving to India permanently.
Interview Team:
- Rebecca Novick (Interviewer)
- Ronny Novick (Videographer)
- Tsering Dorjee (Interpreter)
