Tibetan Poet Tenzin Tsundue Speaks Out About His Detention

Last week we reported that Tibetan poet Tenzin Tsundue had been detained by Indian police while planning a demonstration in protest of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit. Yesterday we came across this interview with Tsundue on DNA India detailing his planned protest and subsequent detention. Upon learning of the Chinese President's scheduled visit, Tsundue traveled from Mumbai to the Sabarmati Ashram, first passing through a number of cities. At the Ashram, Tsundue's plan was as follows:

As I was crossing the road, after a traffic jam eased, a policeman of the many in the area asked me if I was Chinese; I said 'no'. He asked me if I was Nepali, and I nodded. I showed him my copy of 'Hind Swaraj' and he seemed pleased. We crossed the road over along with about 15 policemen and entered the ashram. While the policemen went another way, I headed towards the exhibition area.

I knew that the 1960s structure, designed by Charles Correrea, had a rainwater drainage system. I wanted to climb to the room and hide in one of the drainage bench on the roof. I decided, I will come down on the 17th evening, pay my respect to the Gandhi statue, and stage my protest. However, I couldn't find a spot to climb and found my way to a room where photos and documents were kept. I found two boxes there; one had a Gandhi statue on top and the other was empty. I entered the empty box and stayed there till night, when they switched off the lights and locked the door. I came out of the box because it was hot, and in the morning a cleaner found me behind the boxes and alerted the staff, who brought the police.

Tsundue was detained for three days and questioned. Later in the interview Amrita Madhukalya asks Tsundue his thoughts on the 134 Tibetan who have immolated themselves in protest of Chinese rule. Tsundue replies:

China is completely immersed and hardened by the blind faith of money and its consumerism. They will not feel the heat of the self-immolations of Tibetans, and yet the Tibetans have not given up. We continue to appeal to the Chinese government: we are not against them; we want our country back. We need to uphold and ensure the survival of our culture.

Read on at DNA India.