Tibetan Uprising

Kalsang Choegyal, a 26 year old monk from Kham Tao, Tibet, fled into exile in 2004. Upon reaching India, he joined Jangtse Monastery in Karnataka, South India.

When Kalsang heard about the March to Tibet, he decided to join in order “to protect the culture [of Tibet] and our people.” Arrested on March 13^th with the first wave of marchers, he felt “sad because we knew we are struggling for our freedom and culture and the police did not realize this. I felt pity for them not knowing what they are doing.” A tall man, Kalsang spoke quietly about his struggle while getting arrested. “I was confused. I couldn’t shout. I wanted to shout. I wanted to push but I couldn’t. I was scared my friends might show violence. I was afraid I might erupt in anger.” In such an emotionally intense moment, Kalsang displayed his and the march’s commitment to nonviolent resistance.

Kalsang said he was worried in prison because “we had been hearing about the things happening in Tibet and we felt desperate that we could do nothing.”

After being released from judicial custody in Yatri Niwas, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh, Kalsang rejoined the March to Tibet.