Tading Choekyi Andrugtsang
ITIM: What is the mission of the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA)?
ANDRUGTSANG: The foundation of TWA was on March 12, 1959 when the first major political action by an organised body of Tibetan women took place in Lhasa to oppose the forced occupation of Tibet by the Chinese. This event, now known as the Tibetan Women's Uprising, occurred because at the culmination of China's intrusion into the political, social and religious affairs of Tibet, the women had reached the limit of their patience and restraint. Protesting peacefully, many women suffered brutally at the hands of the Chinese troops. They were arrested, imprisoned, tortured and beaten with out trail. TWA was officially reinstated in 1984 by Tibetan women in exile and currently has 39 branches world wide. TWA sees itself as the natural continuation of our many brave sisters who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and protection of Tibet. TWA's main objective is to raise public awareness of the abuses faced by Tibetan women in Chineses-occupied Tibet. Through extensive publicity and interaction in national and international affairs, TWA alerts communities to the gender-specific human rights abuses committed against Tibetan women in the form of forced birth control policies, such as sterilisations and abortions, and restriction on religious, political social and cultural freedoms.
ITIM: How is the international community responding to all this?
ANDRUGTSANG: At the international level the image of women is well accepted and the awareness of the women's condition is getting more attention. In Tibet, our case is very special and we get very adequate response.
ITIM: Do you have to be a Tibetan woman to join the Tibetan Woman's Association?
ANDRUGTSANG: Yes, but we have other foreign friendship members and generally men support our activities.
ITIM: What was the TWA's role in the hunger strike?
ANDRUGTSANG: During the hunger strike TWA wrote letters and memorandum to the General Secretary of the UN, Kofi Annan, the International Woman's Association, to all the Indian NGOs and the UN Human Rights Office and Mary Robinson, High Commissioner on Human Rights and all the state members of the UN. Also, we went to Delhi and did 48 hour relay hunger strikes for ten days. If we want to achieve something concrete then we all have to strengthen our efforts to reach this goal. When we heard that the Indian police were taking away the hunger strikers and Thupten Ngodup's self-immolation we brought 60 nuns to Delhi to support his heroic act. We staged a peaceful Dharna in front of the UN and later at Jantar Mantar we started prayers for the peace of Thupten Ngodup's mind. During this period all of our branches at the local level organised 24 hour hunger strikes, candle light vigils and prayers.
ITIM: In the past there have been many activities, but during the hunger strike it seemed like all the groups came and worked together for a common cause. Why was everyone able to cooperate this time?
ANDRUGTSANG: The six hunger strikers were sacrificing their lives for the Tibetan cause and our situation has reach a very crucial point. Regardless of whether this was the right time or the wrong time, these 6 hunger strikers were sacrificing their precious lives and our duty as Tibetans is to join together to achieve the demands.
ITIM: What are TWA's thoughts about the hunger strike ending?
ANDRUGTSANG: This is not a real ending it is just a break. This activity got unprecedented global attention as the hunger strikers received a good response from Kofi Annan and Mary Robinson and from many countries like Poland, Norway, Australia etc. gave assurance to raise the Tibetan issue in a multi-lateral forum. TWA felt disappointed and sad that even though these six people were sacrificing their lives and still the Tibetan issue did not get concrete political support. We realised that to achieve our Tibetan common goal we Tibetans have to do something on our own.
ITIM: Many Chinese people come to look at our website. Any message that TWA would like to send to the Chinese women?
ANDRUGTSANG: It's very important for the Chinese people to work to bring democracy to their own country and end the suffering of their people. Let's join hands and work together for the peace and justice of all human beings.
For more information about the Tibetan Woman's Association, how to become a member or a friend of TWA write:
Tibetan's Woman Association
Bhagsunag Road, McLeod Ganj
Dharamsala - 176219
H.P. INDIA
PO Box 194 Fishers, Indiana 46038-0194 United States
e-mail: rangzen@aol.com