Sonam Wangchuk on Disappointment and Hope
May 7, 2012Sonam Wangchuk was recruited into the Tibetan resistance at age 13, leaving Tibet in 1958 to study English in India. He was a trainee and an interpreter at the CIA's training base in Camp Hale, Colorado for 7 months in 1961 and again from September 1962 to December 1963. He continued his work as translator for the operation through 1993 and moved to the United Stated in 1998. Here he discusses the disappointment Tibetans felt at the end of US support for the operation (which pulled all aid between 1972 and '74), as well as his hopes for the future of Tibet.
For photos, thanks to Sonam Wangchuk, Mikel Dunham, Bruce Walker and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.
Remembering Juchen Thupten Namgyal and Donyo Jagortsang
January 24, 2012Two more veterans of the Tibetan resistance passed on in 2011: Juchen Thupten Namgyal on August 31, and Donyo Jagortsang on December 19. Both were from Derge, a kingdom in the Kham region of Eastern Tibet. And both were part of Tibet's underground resistance army backed by the CIA, the Chushi Gangdruk.
After fighting since 1956, Juchen Thupten Namgyal was part of the Dalai Lama's guard during the uprising of March 1959; following him to India as back-up security during his escape. He was later a key member in the Tibetan exile government. He led the first fact-finding delegation to Tibet in 1979, was part of the first negotiations with the Chinese in 1982 and '84, and eventually served as Prime Minister from 1985 to '90.
The son of a Derge Chieftain, Donyo Jagortsang was trained by the CIA in Camp Hale, Colorado. After being dropped with his team of 18 into Pembar, another area of Kham, he was caught in an unexpected siege by the Chinese in 1960. Over 10,000 resistance fighters and their families had gathered there, making them a clear target for the PLA. Few survived, and Donyo made it to India with only 4 others from his team. Soon after, he left the operation.
Including footage of Chushi Gangdruk soldiers from the CIA archives, this video is in memory of them both. May they rest in peace.
Thanks to Doma Norbu and Jamyang Norbu for help with translation.
Tashi Paljor on the Camp Hale Commemoration
December 12, 2011If you happened to see the video on the Camp Hale memorial that took place on September 10, 2010, you may remember Tashi Paljor, one of the Tibetan veterans who spoke that day. Born in Tibet, Paljor left for India in 1954 to learn English for an intended career as a trader. Living in Kalimpong, he became acquainted with Gyalo Thondup, an elder brother of the Dalai Lama and the main CIA contact for its Tibetan operation. Thondup arranged for Paljor’s English studies at St. Joseph's College in Darjeeling, then sent him to the CIA’s Tibetan training base in Camp Hale, Colorado. From May 1959 to the end of 1960, he worked there as an interpreter and also took part in training. Later he worked for Lhamo Tsering, Gyalo Thondup’s right-hand man, from 1962 to 1989 (including a transition to Indian intelligence after all CIA aid ended in 1974). He currently lives in Canada.
I interviewed Tashi Paljor on October 27, and among many other things, asked him about his feelings at the Camp Hale commemoration. Here's a short bit on that.
Thanks to Doma Norbu for the photo of 4 of the Camp Hale veterans that attended the ceremony. Left to right: Tashi Paljor (Noel), Sonam Wangchuk (Lee), Chime Namgyal (Conrad), and the late Tashi Chutter (Mark).
Global Day of Action – DC
November 8, 2011Last Wednesday, November 2, the Tibetan Youth Congress and other Tibetan advocacy groups staged worldwide rallies to protest Chinese repression and occupancy of Tibet, particularly the recent crackdown on Kirti Monastery in Ngaba and the resulting self-immolations. Since last March, 11 monks and nuns have set themselves on fire in protest of Chinese rule (including a nun on Nov. 3, since this protest). The first one was in 2009, making a total of 12 Tibetans who've felt the only way to be heard was to make such a shocking sacrifice. For more details, check International Campaign for Tibet's fact sheet.
Here's a video from the protest in Washington, DC, which began at the Chinese Embassy and ended at the White House. Speakers include the president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Tsewang Rigzin; two members of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress in Minnesota, President Jigme Ugen and Sangay Taythi; as well as Jamyang Norbu, noted writer/activist/blogger (and in previous postings here and here).
Rebiya Kadeer
July 25, 2011In light of the recent unrest in Xinjiang, a northwest territory of China in dispute by the indigenous Uyghur people, I'm showing some video from an interview with Rebiya Kadeer. A native of Xinjiang – called East Turkestan by Uyghurs before its occupation in 1949 and still today – Kadeer rose to prominence as one of the wealthiest people in China. In 1997, she openly criticized a violent crackdown of Uyghur protestors that left many dead, and was eventually imprisoned in 1999 for organizing against the Chinese Government. She was released to the US in 2005, and has continued to lead her people's fight for human rights, freedom and democracy while in exile as the president of the World Uyghur Congress. Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, she is considered a separatist and a terrorist by China where, like the Dalai Lama, it is illegal to possess her picture.
This interview – at an August 2008 protest march in Washington DC, where Tibetans, Uyghurs and other groups protested the Olympics in Beijing – was the first and last time I had the privilege to meet her. This article quotes a line that sums up her indomitable spirit: after a police chief reportedly told her, “We will crush you like a snake”, she replied, “And I will emerge from prison like an eagle”.
Note: the sub-titles here are rough translations taken from the interview translator, Alim Seytoff.
The Dalai Lama’s Talk for World Peace
July 16, 2011While in Washington, DC for an 11-day Tibetan Buddhist Kalachakra ceremony, which ended today, the Dalai Lama gave a public talk on the West Lawn of the Capitol building last Saturday, July 9th (MC'd by Whoopie Goldberg). Entitled "A Talk for World Peace", I put together about 10 minutes of video that relate more or less to my documentary in progress, CIA in Tibet: how to deal with your enemy, change in China and the world, violence vs non-violence, and democracy.
If you'd like to also watch the full length of the Dalai Lama's talk and Q&A (about 80 minutes), you can find it here, or here along with various other events.
Bhusang: Surviving War and Prison
June 26, 2011In wake of the recent release of several Chinese dissidents from prison – artist Ai Weiwei, three of his associates, journalist Wen Tao, and activist Hu Jia – I thought I’d share a related story from one of the Tibetan veterans I interviewed, Bhusang. Imprisoned in Tibet from April 1961 to October 1978, Bhusang was a resistance fighter trained by the CIA at Camp Hale, Colorado and the only survivor of his team soon after they were dropped back into Tibet. For more background on him, see “Democracy for Breakfast: Ode to Bhusang” and "Battle for Lhasa".
The interview took place on the 8th and 9th of November, 2009, in his small room just below the Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala, India. Bhusang passed away only four months later, so we were lucky and privileged to be able to record some of his stories while we could. I’m not yet able to subtitle this interview on video as I’ve had limited funds to get exact translations for most of Bhusang, as well as other Tibetan-language interviews that count more than 40 hours at this point. I’m planning on getting on that this summer, and will soon be starting a kickstarter.com campaign to raise funds to go towards finishing translations, a little more production, and post-production. As I have more translations done, I can start working with them in the feature editing, as well as share more bits on this blog. Look for an updated fundraising video and trailer coming up soon.
The transcription below consists of the questions I asked the interview’s interpreter, Tenzin Norkyi, and her translation at the time – a rough summary of Bhusang’s replies.
Bhusang after the interview, Nov 9, 2009
HOW DID THE CHINESE CAPTURE HIM?
He was part of seven Tibetans trained in the US [Camp Hale, Colorado] that fought and were killed in Markham [Eastern Tibet]. The only thing the Chinese feared is the Americans, and because they had trained with the Americans, they are their double enemy. After fighting a long time in Markham, they were outnumbered and surrounded by around noon on April 15th, 1961.
They had parachuted close to Markham on March 15th, 1961. First of all, they were dropped in the wrong place. From there, the problems started. One good thing is the team leader, Yeshi, was from the area. But the first people they met thought Yeshi was in India, and had no idea he was trained by the US so they didn’t believe him. The locals didn't trust that they weren't Chinese spies and wouldn't give them any food or sell anything to them. Soon, the Chinese heard about them.
Once the secret was out that they were there, after a few days they met the people they were looking for. They told them about how the Americans would supply weapons, money, and help them fight. They discussed plans for what to do.
Soon after, the Americans dropped weapons and supplies, so four of Bhusang’s team, plus six other teams, went to get them. By then the Chinese had already pressured the family they first met to give them all their details; that they trained with the US, and were there to fight. So the Chinese started coming to Markham.
When Bhusang and his team reached Markham, there were a lot of other groups there to fight the Chinese. They started fighting at 6am on April 15th and by the time they realized they needed to retreat, the Chinese had surrounded them; thousands and thousands, too many to count, herds like cattle. After most others were killed, he and three others were the only ones left of his team. They decided to each face north, south, east, west and keep shooting until they had no more bullets left, then take their suicide pills the Americans gave them in case of capture.
Two of the others took the cyanide pills. Bhusang put his in his mouth while the Chinese were shouting, “Surrender”. At the same time there were two girls crying a lot. They came to fight because their families had been killed and they had no one left. As the girls surrendered, Bhusang was knocked unconscious, hit on the head by a PLA soldier before he could bite down on the pill. Of his seven-man team, Bhusang was the only survivor.
He was kept in a Markham prison for a week after that. There was a big hall and you could see thousands and thousands other prisoners, many of which had been fighting that day. He was put into a black dark cell. He got better food than the rest; three times a day. The rest would get only a small amount of tsampa [Tibetan staple of roasted barley flour] in the morning and a little thukpa [noodle dish] in the evening. Other than that they had nothing else to eat and everyday were made to do hard labor building roads. After that he was transported to a prison in Chamdo. There was always a Chinese guard by his cell throughout the day and night. They beat him until he crumbled. Because of the medicine they gave him, he couldn't talk, and he was tortured often. On May 18th, he was taken from Chamdo to Lhasa. When he was transported from one prison to another, there was one Chinese jeep ahead of them, one behind and four policemen with him. They were very suspicious; thinking the Americans would do something, try to rescue him, since he was trained in America. He was stripped of all American clothes he had. All the time his arms and legs were bounded together.
When they got to the army camp prison in Lhasa, the police took off his shackles and the new prison guards put their own chains on him, and took him inside. There he saw that all the prisoners were abbots and lamas, no lay people. Since he had previously been a doctor in Lhasa's Tibetan Army, he knew some people there – one was an uncle.
Most of the time he was kept in a small room where he was with another inmate, a Chinese Kuomintang [Nationalist Party] who was captured trying to escape to India. In every cell there were eight rules. (1) Whatever work you do, you have to get permission from the officials. (2) You cannot move, you have to stay sitting down, you cannot get up and look around. (3) You can never talk to anyone, except when a Chinese officer talks to you. (4) You cannot give anything to others, and you cannot take anything from others. (5) You cannot draw or write anything on the wall, or even touch or make a scratch on the wall. (6) You cannot listen to anything happening around you. (7) You cannot look around when you are going out to work or whatever situation. (8) He can't remember.
There were 2 high lamas and a General, they were the only ones not made to work. All the other lamas had to work. Cleaning, or any sort of work. Guards would always be around watching them.
David Urubshurow on Geshe Wangyal
May 11, 2011One of the cool things about this blog is it introduces me to people I otherwise wouldn't know about. David Urubshurow is happily one of those people. We connected a few months ago after he saw the "The Escape of the Dalai Lama, Part 3". In it, a Kalmyk-Mongolian monk named Geshe Wangyal plays a part in helping the CIA translate the telecode for the radio messages between Washington DC and Tibet.
Urubshurow met and began studying with Geshe Wangyal as a young boy, and though he was like a son to him in many ways, he never knew about his work with the CIA. Not until the late '90s or so, long after his death in 1983, did anyone outside the operation begin to learn that this secret history included "Bakshi", as his students called him. (Or Geshe-la, a Tibetan way of giving respect.)
Many thanks to David for sharing his stories. I wish I had the time to include more here, but will do another video in the future that include some others. Thanks also to Joshua Cutler, who runs Geshe Wangyal's center with his wife Diana, for sharing some of the pictures.
Music by Joel Langley at Green Goose Music
In Memory of Tashi Chutter and Roy Clarkston
April 25, 2011Sadly, two members of the CIA's Tibetan Task Force passed away last week; Tashi Chutter on April 18, and Roy Clarkston on April 20. Both served at the CIA's main training base in Camp Hale, Colorado as translator and instructor, respectively. In honor of their memory, I'm showing some excerpts from the ceremony held there last September honoring the Tibetan freedom fighters.
Tashi Chutter devoted much of his life to the Tibetan resistance; with the CIA's operation and later with the Tibetan government in exile. For more information, you can download this short biography sent to me by his daughter, Tashi Chodon. I first met him in October 2009 at a CIA ceremony in Langley, VA where a small group gathered to witness the unveiling of a painting commemorating the operation (commissioned by Bruce Walker, one of the Camp Hale instructors and later a case officer in India). Among a few speeches by various attendees, Tashi made an impassioned plea to help resettle the Tibetan refugees in Nepal to the US, who have not been allowed to leave in an increasingly dangerous political climate there. He repeated that same request to Colorado Senator Mark Udall after his speech at the Camp Hale ceremony (click here for my digested video from that day). Remembering that Tashi Chutter never stopped fighting for the Tibetan cause, his appeal for help is shown in today's video.
And in memory of Roy Clarkston, who couldn't attend the Camp Hale ceremony having just undergone heart surgery, the video closes with a few words from his friend Cmd. Sgt. Major Harold E. Caldwell. Just before the ceremony began, I enjoyed a conversation with his daughter Kelly Witchey and granddaughter, Brianna. My deepest sympathies to both families in this time of loss.
(On a side note: One of the attendees at the ceremony was Todd Stein, Director of Government Relations for the International Campaign for Tibet, who later informed me that Senator Udall had contacted the State Department regarding this issue, and in an ICT report last February he gave details of a visit to Kathmandu by Under Secretary of State Maria Otero and US Ambassador to Nepal, Scott DeLisi.)
White House documents on the Tibetan Revolt: March 1959
March 31, 201152 years ago today, after a landmark Tibetan uprising that ended with the final Chinese takeover of Tibet, the Dalai Lama arrived in India after a harrowing 14-day escape from Lhasa. For this anniversary, I've put together a few documents from the Eisenhower Presidential Library, including three memos from the Operations Coordinating Board. (The OCB, exclusive to the Eisenhower administration, was a committee responsible for coordinating national security policies among various government agencies, including the CIA.) Discussed are strategies for how the Tibetan revolt should best be exploited for the Cold War interests of the US at the time. The final memo refers to two State Department press statements which are included at the end. All combined, it's a taste of what was going on behind the scenes and what was being made public during a tragic time that critically changed the course of history for Tibetans.
CLICK HERE to download the PDF.
Keep in mind these were written before the US had knowledge of the Dalai Lama's arrival -- the CIA didn't receive Athar's radio message until April 2nd. Last year's blog post has more on that if you're interested. It's also good to know a couple of abbreviations commonly used by the US government to distinguish the two opposing Chinese governments: "Chicom" = Chinese Communists (PRC), and "Chinat" = Chinese Nationalists (ROC, AKA Taiwan). And of course, "Peking" or "Peiping" is how the Western world referred to Beijing back then.
And a final document HERE. This one, "Peking Publicity for Tibetan Rebellion and Unrest", is from the US National Archives though it's not clear which government department it's from. Not so much related to this post's title as much as I had promised earlier to post it this month, it's nonetheless an insightful US documentation of Chinese reaction to the building Tibetan resistance. From August 7, 1956 to January 1, 1959, it reveals a hard-core China the world didn't become aware of until March 1959.
US Presidential Briefings: March 1959
March 17, 2011For this 52nd anniversary of the Dalai Lama's flight from Lhasa, here's a couple of interesting documents from 1959 found at the Eisenhower Presidential Library. CLICK HERE for the "Synopsis of Intelligence material reported to the President" dated March 17 and March 23, with bits on Tibet as part of other international matters of the time.
The sources for at least the second Tibetan report were Athar and Lhotse, two of the initial six-man team that was trained by the CIA and dropped back into Tibet in the fall of '57. Here's an excerpt from the translation (thanks to his daughter, Doma Norbu) of a 1999 video recording of Athar, a few years before his death:
I safely reached the military quarters in Dhapo Lhagyari. There I met my friend. We sent a wire to the US that we had arrived safely. We had a lot of work to be done and had started preparing. We requested the US for more weapons as we needed them. One plane with weapons were sent. It was just like the last drop.After collecting the weapons we reached Nyende Dzong. The March 10th trouble had occurred in Tibet and a messenger was sent to us. It had taken the messenger 7 days to reach us. It was a letter from the Lord Chamberlain, Phala, about His Holiness’ escape. We sent a wire to the US about the troublesome situation in Tibet. We were told to leave immediately and go near Lhasa to evaluate and report on the situation. My friend said that this was not good. If His Holiness was to escape, the weapons should not be sent to the Chushi Gangdruk headquarters. Around a 100 cavalry that did not have weapons needed to be armed. There were weapons for around 150 men.
I asked my friend to follow later with the cavalry that would be needed to escort His Holiness. I left ahead with six other horsemen. When I reached Chunjo Riwochen, His Holiness arrived there. From there on, I sent detailed reports of our journey.
Gompo Tashi’s Letter to Eisenhower, 1959
March 10, 2011
CLICK HERE to download the 9-page letter, a list of gifts also given, and the US memo that acknowledges the delivery to the Embassy.
The term "Do-med" is used often in the letter, so I asked Jamyang Norbu, noted author and activist for Tibetan independence, for clarification. He explained that the term refers to the Eastern Tibetan province of Kham, where many of the fighters in the Chushi Gangdruk were from. Along with the letter -- delivered to the US Embassy in New Delhi, India on December 13, 1959 while Eisenhower was visiting India -- Gompo Tashi also offered a few gifts to the president which included a full traditional Khampa outfit; the exact one he's wearing in the photo above. (Tashi himself was from the Lithang region of Kham.)
According to Norbu -- who had briefly been a member of the resistance forces based in Mustang and knew some of the Chushi Gangdruk leaders close to Gompo Tashi -- the above picture was taken in a photo studio in Kalimpong, India to document the outfit just before he and others left for New Delhi to give it to Eisenhower. Norbu added, "The spectacles were a studio accessory meant to make the subject look more educated or refined". The photograph is printed in Gompo Tashi's memoirs Four Rivers, Six Ranges: Reminiscences of the Resistence Movement in Tibet, published posthumously in 1973 by the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Unfortunately the gifts weren't found at the Eisenhower Library. If anyone out there has any information regarding their whereabouts, please let me know through the "contact me" link in the right column.
Jamyang Norbu recently posted another significant archival letter on his blog, this one from the Dalai Lama to President Kennedy sent the following year.
Airborne Leaflet Propaganda Campaign 1960-1961
March 7, 2011As mentioned in the last post, propaganda played an important role in the CIA's Tibetan operation. To continue with that theme, I'm showing a bit of my interview with Ken Knaus from March 2008, when we headed up to his office to take a look at the propaganda booklets that were dropped into Tibet in 1960-1961. Knaus, author of "Orphans of the Cold War", began working on the Tibetan Task Force in 1958, was an instructor at Camp Hale, and the operation's project manager from 1961 to 1965. He oversaw the making and distribution of these booklets.
Psychological tactics of this kind have often been used in historical military operations. According to Wikipedia (quoting from "Cassell's History of the Wars Between France and Germany, 1870-1871"): “Airborne leaflets have been used for military propaganda purposes at least since the 19th century. One early example is from the Franco-Prussian War when in October 1870 during the Siege of Paris a French balloon coming from the city dropped government proclamations over Prussian troops that stated the following (in German): ‘Paris defies the enemy. The whole of France rallies. Death to the invaders. Foolish people, shall we always throttle one another for the pleasure and proudness of Kings? Glory and conquest are crimes; defeat brings hate and desire for vengeance. Only one war is just and holy; that of independence.’ ”
In recent news, reports say that the South Korean military has been dropping leaflets, DVDs and flash drives into North Korea, where communication is tightly controlled and leaves many citizens unaware of world affairs. The propaganda, dropped by balloons, apparently describes the pro-democracy movements in the Middle East and North Africa in a call for North Koreans to also rise up against their oppressors.
The objectives for the booklets dropped into Tibet -- in many ways like South Korea's reported campaign -- were primarily to spread anti-communist sentiment, counter PRC propaganda, promote reasons to fight for freedom against oppression, show how to conduct political and guerrilla warfare operations, and persuade more Tibetans to join the resistance against China. Here's the brief explanation written on the first page of Knaus’ copies shown in the video: "A collaborative effort by the Camp Hale trainees on a booklet which spells out the reasons why the Tibetans are rebelling against the Chinese efforts to destroy Tibet as a nation and a culture with examples of how other nations obtained their independence and of friendly countries which are supporting the Tibetan cause. It was dropped into Tibet at the authors' request when they returned there on their missions."
CLICK HERE to download some of the pictures that have been translated (in chronological order from one of the booklets). Many thanks to Ken Knaus for sharing the booklets for scanning and to Doma Norbu for helping with the translation. Click the picture below to watch Ken Knaus showing and discussing his copies.
Revolt & Propaganda in “Unconquerable Tibet”
February 25, 2011
As revolution fever whips through North Africa and the Middle East, I thought I’d post an archival film called "Unconquerable Tibet". It's also timely as we approach the 52nd anniversary of March 10th, a day the Tibetan exile community commemorates as Tibetan National Uprising Day. That landmark revolt against the People's Republic of China wasn't the first or the last display of Tibetan rebellion by far; protests continue today (albeit unarmed since the 70s) within Tibet and the worldwide diaspora.
Looking through some US government documents from the ‘50s, I came across an interesting memo titled, “Peking Publicity for Tibetan Rebellion and Unrest”. I’ll post it in full next month, but for now here’s the final passage, dated just a few months before the March 1959 revolt began: (Note: the opening paragraph is the US intro.)
January 1, 1959 – The Tibetans persisted in their opposition to Communist reforms and in their desire for independence; a New Year’s statement by a leading official of the Chinese Communist Party control committee for Tibet admitted continued Tibetan resistance which, as usual, he attributed to imperialist influence.
An energetic effort should be made to struggle against the enemy and to expose the schemes and subversive activities carried out by all the reactionaries and imperialists. This must be done for the defense of our country. Under the guidance of imperialism and some special service agents of the Chiang [then the leader of the Republic of China/Taiwan] clique, a small number of reactionaries are carrying out a series of subversive activities to deceive the Tibetan people under the flag of nationalism and emancipation. For this reason, we must heighten our vigilance against imperialism and all reactionaries and be prepared to deal a fatal blow to them.
While that has a familiar ring to it these days, the difference for Tibetans in 1959 is there was no world watching. There was no press allowed in Tibet then (and very little now, for that matter). Few Tibetans had cameras then to document what was happening. So no one was there, that I have record of, to film what sounds like a massacre from first-hand accounts. The men I interviewed who were there all tell the same story: the rebels were crushed with overwhelming force. By March 28, 1959, the PRC had claimed the Dalai Lama a fugitive and Tibet officially under China’s rule. The party line claimed they were liberating the Tibetans from imperialist influence. Their tune changed in 2009 when China began touting March 28 as “Serf’s Emancipation Day”.
Propaganda was also, of course, a significant part of the CIA’s Tibetan Task Force (as with all US operations). Today’s video is a good example of US anti-Communist propaganda, made in 1959 following the March revolt in Lhasa. Produced by the United States Information Agency (USIA), here is “Unconquerable Tibet”.
Interview with the Dalai Lama: 1960
January 17, 2011On this day of honor for Martin Luther King Jr, an iconic figure in the African-American civil rights movement and staunch advocate of non-violence, I was inspired to find a video clip of the Dalai Lama, another iconic man of peace and leader of human rights for his people. Searching through my archive footage, I came across a film made in 1960 called "Fifteen Minutes in India" where the Dalai Lama is interviewed by a man referred to by the (unknown) narrator as Prince Panu of Thailand. Unfortunately I have no information other than the title, the date, and that it was filmed in New Delhi, India. That said, the ten minute interview excerpted here is the essential part and is probably the first time it's ever been seen since then. In it, the Dalai Lama shares his feelings and wishes in the wake of his escape from Tibet and the atrocities done to his people under Chinese occupation.
Though he thanks the world for their attention to this tragedy, the oppression suffered by Tibetans — those under Chinese rule and the refugees who have lost their homeland — still exists today. While the CIA secretly funded the Dalai Lama's government in exile and continued to support the Tibetan resistance until the Nixon administration, no substantial political aid was given to Tibet by the US. In 1959, former CIA Officer Ken Knaus and the Dalai Lama's brother, Gyalo Thondup, helped get a resolution passed in the United Nations that called for the respect of fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people. They got two more resolutions passed in 1961 and 1965 that supported human freedoms in Tibet as well as their right to self-determination. But the US was never willing to openly support Tibetan independence; the one thing that would’ve made any real difference.
Leave it to say that the Tibetan issue has been off the table in US-China relations since the Nixon Administration, and the issue of basic human rights in China has essentially been sacrificed in favor of economic stability. In February 2009, when the question was raised whether Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would press the issue in her visit to China, she infamously replied, "We know what they are going to say because I've had those kinds of conversations for more than a decade with Chinese leaders. We have to continue to press them. But our pressing on those issues can't interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis and the security crisis." In anticipating Chinese President Hu Jintao's first state visit to the US this week, it's been reported that President Obama will make room for discussing human rights in his public appearance with Hu, as well as during private meetings. We'll see if that happens and what, if anything, comes from it.
As for any hope of political support for Tibetan rights — whether it be independence or genuine autonomy within China, as the Dalai Lama currently calls for — as long as China's power continues to be influential, they're likely to be on their own. Fortunately for Tibetans, the Dalai Lama continues to be a spiritual beacon that attracts worldwide, if not political, attention to his people's cause. In their ongoing struggle with what is now the second largest power in the world, there is no doubt that Tibet faces overwhelming odds. But Tibetans can look to history and find countless struggles similar to their own, and remember that whenever the people have kept fighting for their rights, they have eventually won them. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle." And in the words of the Dalai Lama in this interview, "In the present circumstances, I have only my hope. It is a small hope, but it is indestructible. I hope that we can persist against overpowering might until justice at last prevails".
Wei Jingsheng: Interview Excerpts
December 15, 2010With all the news recently about Liu Xiaobo, an advocate for freedom in China which just won him the Nobel Peace Prize, and also condemned him to an 11-year sentence in Chinese prison last December, I put together some excerpts from an interview with another famous Chinese dissident: Wei Jingsheng. Arguably the most well known activist for Chinese Democracy outside of China, Wei was arrested in 1979 on charges of counterrevolution and spent 18 years in jail. Since his release in 1997 through a US-China exchange, he's lived in Washington DC and has continued to fight in exile for democracy, freedom and human rights in China, as well as throughout Asia. The author of "Courage to Stand Alone: Letters from Prison and Other Writings" and numerous articles, Wei has won many awards for his activism, including seven nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.
On August 7, 2008, I interviewed Wei Jingsheng outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC where he was part of a protest against the Olympics being held in Beijing. Attended predominantly by Tibetans, they were accompanied by Chinese, Taiwanese, Uyghur, Inner Mongolian, North Korean, and Vietnamese groups who support human rights and freedom in China.
(Note that this is a loose translation taken from the interview's interpreter Huang Ciping, Director of the Wei Jingsheng Foundation.)
Interview Excerpts: Carole McGranahan
November 11, 2010Carole McGranahan is a professor of anthropology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. As an anthropologist and historian, she's lived off and on with Tibetan families in Nepal and India since 1989, focusing her study in 1994 on the Tibetan resistance to China. Her depth of experience with many veterans of the Chushi Gangdruk (the CIA-backed Tibetan resistance army) brings fresh insight into Tibet's history of armed resistance and how it's remembered (and not remembered) in Tibetan exile society today. In her recently published book "Arrested Histories: Tibet, the CIA, and Memories of a Forgotten War", she argues that the telling of this history has largely been put on hold, and while it's begun to be told over the past decade or so (through books and Tenzing Sonam's BBC documentary "Shadow Circus"), there are particular reasons why the story of Tibet's armed resistance to China is still little-known today, even within the Tibetan community.
For more on the subject, here's some of her interview from September (just after the Camp Hale ceremony that honored the Tibetan freedom fighters, the video of which also touches on this topic).
Ray Starke Interview Excerpts
October 27, 2010Ray Starke was a radio communications instructor for the CIA's Tibetan Task Force from 1958 to 1960. He began at Camp Peary in Williamsburg, Virginia, then moved to Camp Hale, Colorado as the Tibetan trainees needed to be in an altitude closer to the homeland they would infiltrate after training.
Here are some excerpts from an interview with him on August 31st, 2010, along with a few pictures he took while at Camp Hale--avoiding taking shots of the trainees, since operations there were top secret. Their cover was atomic testing for the military.
Interview Excerpts: Jamyang Norbu
October 13, 2010Jamyang Norbu is a noted author, blogger and activist in the forefront of the Tibetan struggle for independence from China. While he has many supporters, he is also controversial within the Tibetan community for criticizing the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration for eventually taking a "middle way" position of accepting Chinese rule, seeking only autonomy within it.
Norbu began working in the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in 1968, and was part of the Tibetan resistance in Mustang, Nepal from '71 to '72, just when the CIA was beginning to pull their aid. Mainly charged with getting intelligence on China, he also helped raise funds to keep the resistance alive until the Dalai Lama finally put an end to the Mustang base in 1974. Among other involvements in Tibetan activism, culture and academia, he was a president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, director of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, and co-founder of the Amnye Machen Institute for advanced studies on Tibet.
He currently lives in the US, blogging on jamyangnorbu.com and rangzen.net (rangzen is Tibetan for independence), and writing his latest book, a literary history of Tibet's fight for freedom. Here are some excerpts from my interview with him on August 29.
Camp Hale Commemoration
September 30, 2010It's been busy since my last post. I've shot a few more interviews, which I'll post excerpts from in October. But the main story this month was the commemoration for the Tibetan freedom fighters and their CIA instructors at Camp Hale, Colorado on September 10. Ken Knaus, one of the instructors and project managers for the Tibetan Task Force, worked with Colorado Senator Mark Udall to install a plaque in memory of the Tibetan's training by the CIA there.
At almost 10,000 feet altitude, Camp Hale was originally used for training by the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division during WWII, then underwent preparations in 1958 for training some 265 Tibetans by the CIA which began in May 1959 and ended in November 1964. Many trainees were killed after returning to fight in Tibet. Perhaps 20 or so are still alive today, 5 of which were able to come to ceremony.
It was a remarkable day--an historic day actually-- the first time the US has ever officially acknowledged the CIA's operation with the Tibetans. Many flew in from all parts of the US and Canada to attend. Unfortunately there wasn't enough notice for those in India and Nepal to make travel arrangements, and many were sadly disappointed about that, including myself. Some who did attend expressed a wish that the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in Dharamsala, India would also commemorate the sacrifices their resistance fighters made. Since this subject is not politically correct for many in the Tibetan hierarchy, we'll see if that ever happens. If so, you know I'll have a camera crew there if I can.
It was a hard task compressing the whole afternoon into this 10 minute video. Some speeches couldn't be included, and I could only take short bits from those I showed. Basically I wanted to get the gist of the day, but if time permits, I'll try to post some more excerpts in the future. There's also a photo album of the event-- click here to view it on the Kefiblog Facebook page.
Below is the main list of attendees at the event.
Colorado Senator Mark Udall and staff: Jennifer Barrett, National Security Advisor/Deputy Legislative Director; Matt Sugar, Regional Director, Central Mountain Region
Camp Hale Translators/Trainees (including their American training names): Pema Wangdue (Pete); Tashi Paljor (Noel); Sonam Wangchuk (Lee); Tashi Chutter (Mark); Chime Namgyal (Conrad)
Camp Hale Instructors: Kenneth Knaus; Ray Starke; Don Cesare; (Roy Clarkston was represented by Command Sargent Major Harold E. Caldwell)
Descendants of Tibetan trainees/fighters: Doma Norbu, daughter of Athar Norbu, translator and instructor at Camp Hale; Karma Namgyal, President of NYC Chushi Gangdruk; Sonam Wangchuk, son of Pema Wangdue (listed above); Sonam Yangzom, daughter of Ratu Ngawang, Commander in the Chushi Gangdruk army
Descendants of CIA officers: Kevin McCarthy, son of Roger McCarthy; PJ Whelan, step-daughter of Roger McCarthy, and her daughter Chelsea; Julie Holober, daughter of Frank Holober; Lisa Cathey, daughter of Clay Cathey (also producer of this blog and the upcoming documentary "CIA in Tibet"); Kelly Witchey, daughter of Roy Clarkston, and her daughter Brianna
Authors/Scholars: Carole McGranahan, Author and Professor, University of Colorado, Boulder; Warren Smith, Radio Free Asia; Jamyang Norbu, independent Author/Blogger (also a member of the Mustang operation in Nepal)
Local Tibetan Americans: Nawang Sherap, Treasurer, Tibetan Association of Colorado, and other members
Forest Service: Dave Neely, District Ranger, Eagle/Holy Cross Ranger District, White River National Forest; Buck Sanchez; Bill Kite; Andrea Brogan
International Campaign for Tibet: Todd Stein, Director, Government Relations
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 10: Roger McCarthy
August 24, 2010In the final video of this series, I'd like to introduce Roger McCarthy ("Mac" to the Tibetan trainees), considered by many in the CIA's operation, both Tibetan and American, to be the godfather of the Tibetan Task Force. He co-created the operation, code-named STCIRCUS, with Frank Holober early in 1957, and began training the first team in Saipan by March, later taking the reins as Project Manager in '58. McCarthy left the Tibetan operation in 1961, but his personal passion for the Tibetan fight for freedom kept him active in their cause until his death in October 2007. His book, "Tears of the Lotus", was published in 1997, after a trip to Tibet that year to see what had become of Lhasa. That was followed by a trip to India and Nepal in 1999 to finally meet the Dalai Lama, and reunite with the former Tibetan resistance fighters he counted as friends.
In the video, I'm taking excerpts from his 1998 presentation at Toronto University, and a panel discussion for Stanford University in 2006 called "CIA and the Secret War in Tibet", where he was among other panelists Bruce Walker, Ken Knaus, Mikel Dunham and Tenzin Tethong. Many thanks to his son Kevin McCarthy, and his friend Mikel Dunham, for sharing the photos used here.
4/4/11 I recently found out some background on the photo used in this video of Roger posing with Kalsang Gyatotsang. It was shot by photographer Pete Patterson, in conjunction with a Canadian documentary, "The Golden Throne" (not yet released). Many thanks to Diane Cartwright, the film's producer, for providing info as well as setting up the talk Roger gave at Toronto University, also used in this video. --LC
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 9: Tsering Shakya
August 18, 2010Born in Lhasa, Tsering Shakya is a noted scholar and author of many articles and books on Tibet, including "The Dragon in the Land of Snows", and the recently published "The Struggle for Tibet", co-authored by Wang Lixiong. Currently a Professor of Tibetan history and literature at University of British Columbia, he organized the 2010 International Association for Tibetan Studies conference, underway this week at UBC's Institute for Asian Research, with 400 scholars from 21 countries attending.
From his interview last May, he talks about the CIA's impact on the Tibetan resistance to China.
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 8: Ken Knaus and John Greaney
August 11, 2010Ken Knaus and John Greaney were both CIA Officers on the Tibetan Task Force. Greaney, the Deputy Chief from 1957-1961, was in charge of US communications with the Tibetan radio team inside the Dalai Lama's escape party in 1959. Knaus began in 1958 as a Case Officer and Instructor at Camp Hale, Colorado, then became the operation's Project Manager from 1961-1965. Knaus is the author of "Orphans of the Cold War: America and the Tibetan Struggle for Survival". From separate interviews in 2008, here's their take on the CIA's impact.
Also a note on current events: For some time, Knaus has been lobbying the powers that be in Washington DC to have a sign posted at Camp Hale, pronouncing its use as a secret CIA training site for Tibetan resistance fighters from 1959 to 1965. Recently, Colorado Senator Mark Udall has agreed to support this, and a ceremony will take place there soon. More on that in future updates.
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 7: Mikel Dunham
August 4, 2010Mikel Dunham, author of "Buddha's Warriors: The Story of the CIA-Backed Tibetan Freedom Fighters, the Chinese Communist Invasion, and the Ultimate Fall of Tibet", shares his thoughts on the CIA's impact.
As part of his answer, he brings up a major intelligence find for the US, when approximately 2,000 Chinese government documents were captured by Tibetan guerrillas in 1961. Showing classified information on the PLA's activities inside Tibet and China, the documents were published in 1966 as "The Politics of the Chinese Red Army", by Stanford's Hoover Institution. I'll eventually have a blog video going into more detail on this part of the story.
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 6: Donyo Jagortsang
July 28, 2010AKA the Prince of Derge, Donyo Jagortsang was a Commander in the Chushi Gangdruk (the Tibetan resistance army) and CIA-trained in the US at Camp Hale, Colorado. After being air-dropped into Pembar late in 1959, he and his teammates unexpectedly encountered a massive air and ground attack by the Chinese PLA, which eventually killed tens of thousands of Tibetan fighters and families gathered there. Out of his Camp Hale class of 18, only 5 survived it. Jagortsang fought his way out of Tibet, and left the CIA operation after making it to India in 1960.
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 5: Bruce Walker
July 21, 2010Bruce Walker was a CIA Case Officer and Training Instructor with the Tibetan Task Force from 1960 to 1968. Dedicated to preserving the memory of STCIRCUS, the operation's code name, Walker has donated archival material to the Hoover Institution at Stanford, and recently commissioned a painting for the CIA Museum's Intelligence Art Gallery, entitled “The Secret PLA Pouch Heads to CIA's K Building”.
In this video, he shares his viewpoint on the CIA's impact to the Tibetan resistance to China. While it essentially covers his feelings on the failure of the CIA-backed resistance, his opinion on more positive results from this history is reflected below in a statement written for our talk on March 21, 2008, soon after Tibetan protests and riots inside Tibet gained worldwide attention.
"In spite of its tragic ending, the resistance demonstrated to the world that the Chinese were committing genocide against the Tibetans and that the Tibetans were passionate about trying to preserve their God-King, their religion, and the integrity of their country. In attempting this, they were not afraid to die for the cause and did not hesitate to kill Chinese in the process. They did not go down supinely before the enemy. As events in Tibet this month show the world, generations of Tibetan patriots inside and outside Tibet still maintain this passion and spirit of resistance to the Chinese, 58 years after the Chinese invaded Tibet."
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 4: Doma Norbu
July 14, 2010Doma Norbu is the daughter of Athar, one of six in the first team trained by CIA in 1957. Athar, along with his team partner Lhotse, were the two radio agents that caught up to the Dalai Lama's escape party in March 1959, kept the CIA informed of that perilous journey, and helped secure asylum for the Dalai Lama in India. From 1960 to 1962, they both served as instructors at Camp Hale, a secret CIA training base in Colorado. After that, Athar was involved with intelligence gathering within Tibet until the base in Mustang, Nepal was closed in 1974.
I met Doma in June 2008 when she was organizing the 50th anniversary of the Chushi Gangdruk, the CIA-backed Tibetan resistance army. At that time, she was President of the New York Chapter of the current Chushi Gangdruk, an organization that keeps the legacy of their fight for freedom alive through non-violent means.
As one who is dedicated to continuing her father's struggle for Tibetan independence, Doma shares her opinion about the CIA's impact on Tibet in part 4 of this ongoing series.
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 3: George Patterson
July 7, 2010Scottish author George Patterson has a long history with Tibet. After a year in China as a missionary, he arrived in Tibet in 1947 and lived there until the Chinese invasion in 1950. Following that, he briefly served as a translator for US State Dept and the CIA, and began reporting on the Tibetan resistance throughout the 50s. In 1964, he collaborated on the BBC documentary "Raid Into Tibet", a documentary that nearly ended the CIA's operation after filming a secret raid by Tibetan guerrillas --the only known film ever taken of them actually fighting. Mr. Patterson has written "Gods and Guerillas", his account of the making of that film, among other books on Tibet.
In part 3 of an ongoing summer series, he gives his opinion on the CIA's impact on Tibet's resistance to China.
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 2: Lhasang Tsering
June 30, 2010Arriving after the CIA had pulled their support, Lhasang Tsering was a member of the armed resistance force in the Mustang, Nepal operation from 1973 to 1974, its final year. Later in Dharamsala, India, he was the Principal of the Tibetan Children's Village, briefly served in the Tibetan Government in Exile, was President of the Tibetan Youth Congress, and one of the co-founders of the Amnye Machen Institute. Currently, he is a Poet/Writer, and owns a bookshop.
A passionate and outspoken voice in the Tibetan community, here he shares his viewpoint in a continuing series of answers to the question: "What impact do you think the CIA had on Tibet's resistance against China?".
CIA Impact on Tibet? Part 1: Clay Cathey
June 23, 2010"What impact do you think the CIA had on Tibet's resistance against China?" This is a question I ask everyone I talk to, and get an equal amount of interesting answers.
To begin a series of opinions on this question, I'll start off with my dad, Clay Cathey, who was the first one I asked. I'll post a different person's response every week or so over the next couple months.
Tsering Shakya Interview Excerpts
June 6, 2010In mid-May, I had the opportunity to interview the author of "The Dragon in the Land of Snows", Tsering Shakya. For more background on the issue of violence and the Chushi Gangdruk resistance army backed by the CIA, here's a few excerpts from that interview.
Ken Knaus on Meeting the Dalai Lama
May 21, 2010In excerpts from his interview on March 13, 2008, Ken Knaus, former CIA officer on the Tibetan Task Force, recounts his 3 meetings with the Dalai Lama over a period of 42 years. As an extension of his commentary in the last post, "Phala, the Dalai Lama and the CIA", Knaus' continuing story gives a deeper look at the conflict of violence for the Dalai Lama.
While some parts of the video here will probably be shown in the eventual feature documentary, most of what you'll see will only be seen on this blog. Interview excerpts like these, which you'll see more of in future posts, is for me one of the best things about Kefiblog--the ability to share all the good stuff the feature won't have time for.
The Chushi Gangdruk Begins
April 29, 2010Here's a bit of background on the Tibetan resistance that began fighting against the Chinese occupation in the 50s. After the CIA started training some of the Tibetans in communications and guerrilla warfare, the many different groups of fighters eventually organized into one main army they called Chushi Gangdruk, made up mostly of Khampas from the Eastern Tibetan region of Kham.
Note: Other than Thupten Juchon in this video, the Tibetan interviews haven't been fully translated yet, so they aren't included here.
Many thanks to Doma Norbu and Mikel Dunham for lending some of the photos used here.
Music by Green Goose Music
Democracy for Breakfast: Ode to Bhusang
April 19, 2010I was sad to hear that Bhusang, one of the fighters trained by the CIA in the Tibetan resistance to China, died on March 25th. I had the opportunity to interview him in his tiny room last November in Dharamsala, and was struck by how kind and gentle he was for someone with such a tragic history. As the video says, a lot of his interview still needs to be translated, but this one story had stuck with me, and I thought it would be good to share as a memorial for Bhusang. 1930-2010. RIP.
Tenzin Norkyi, translation. Photos of Camp Hale, collection of Bruce Walker. Bhusang's photo in Lhamo Tsering's book "Resistance: Volume II: The Secret Operations into Tibet (1957 - 1962). Joel Langley, Green Goose Music.
The Dalai Lama Appeals to the World
April 11, 2010A few weeks after the Dalai Lama arrived in India, he began meeting with the press to tell of the atrocities that happened to his people in Tibet. There are many more details during this period than this short video can go into, but this gives a general overview of his actions to reach out to the world and give attention to his country's plight.
Many thanks to Time, Inc, for their permission to show the cover of the April 1959 issue of Time magazine. Click HERE to download the full article. Also many thanks to Bruce Walker, one of the trainers and CIA case officers for the Tibetan Task Force, for lending me this pacific edition copy.
NOTE: The ability to comment is finally up, so please feel free to give any feedback. I'd love to hear any constructive comments for this or any of the posts. We're still working out the kinks, so for this top post, you need to click on the headline to get to the landing page, where you can post a comment.
Music by Joel Langley at Green Goose Music
The Dalai Lama’s Gift
April 3, 2010The day before the Dalai Lama reached India's border, he granted an audience with the CIA's two radio operators, Athar and Lhotse. Athar's daughter, Doma Norbu, tells the story of her father receiving a humble gift of thanks from his God-King, something Athar treasured his entire life.
Note: Doma didn't know the exact date of this day, but knew it was very soon before reaching the border. Between this and the information in Kenneth Conboy's book, "The CIA's Secret War in Tibet", March 30, 1959 is probable, but not definite.
Music by Green Goose Music
The Escape of the Dalai Lama, Part 3
March 31, 2010It was on this day in 1959 that the Dalai Lama safely arrived at India's border, after a harrowing 14-day flight from Lhasa. His dramatic escape brought international attention to the Chinese capture of Tibet, a situation that Tibetans continue to struggle with to this day.
The news of his arrival was received by the U.S. on April 2nd, sent by CIA-trained radio operators, Athar and Lhotse. CLICK HERE to download that message.
Thanks to Doma Norbu for her help with Athar's translation (her father).
Music by Green Goose Music
The Battle For Lhasa
March 28, 2010About two days after the Dalai Lama fled Lhasa on the night of March 17, 1959, war began raging between Tibetan rebels and the Chinese PLA in Tibet's capital. The uprising was crushed by China by March 24th. Here's an account of those dark days from five Tibetans who were there, four of whom began working on the CIA operation after surviving the devastation.
According to Mikel Dunham's book "Buddha's Warrior's", it's estimated that over 15,000 Tibetans were killed in this battle, and tens of thousands imprisoned. I haven't found an estimated number of Chinese deaths, perhaps because the Chinese government has maintained that their takeover of Lhasa was welcomed by the Tibetans as a liberation from an oppressive Feudalist system, and was little more than a riot caused by a few troublemaking serf-owners.
On March 28, 1959, China announced the dissolution of the Tibetan government, and denounced the Dalai Lama as a fugitive--considering him an "evil separatist" to this day. In 2009, China appointed March 28th "Serf's Emancipation Day", something none of the Tibetans I've met would celebrate.
Thanks to Tenzin Norkyi and Doma Norbu for their help with translation.
Music by Green Goose Music.
3/31/10 ADDENDUM: I just heard that Bhusang, one of the men in this video, passed away March 25. Recruited into the CIA's Tibetan Task Force, he was captured at the battle of Markham, and imprisoned by the Chinese from 1961 to 1978. As with all the former fighters I've talked to, he was a hero of his country and its cause. Bhusangla will not be forgotten. --Lisa Cathey
Escape of the Dalai Lama, Part 2
March 23, 2010When the Dalai Lama first fled Lhasa on March 17, 1959, no one but his entourage knew where he was, until the CIA eventually located him through the two-man radio team they had trained. For the rest of the world, rumors began spreading and the international press had a field day. This video, as in the first post, gives some context of the media frenzy that spread throughout the world about the disappearance of the Dalai Lama.
Music by Joel Langley at GreenGooseMusic.com
March 10 Montage
March 20, 2010On March 10th, Tibetan support groups staged protests, rallies, marches, and candlelight vigils across the world. Here's a montage of four of those events: New York City, London, Dharamsala, India, and Washington DC.
Thanks to all who generously helped on a shoestring budget: NYC-John Marton, London-Duncan Shears, Dharamsala-Legdup Tsering & Tenzin Norkyi, DC-Jeff Krulik, and music by Joel Langley, Green Goose Music
Escape of the Dalai Lama, Part 1
March 17, 2010It was on this day in 1959, after a week of ongoing protests by tens of thousands of Tibetans, that the Chinese People's Liberation Army retaliated by shelling Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's summer palace. In secrecy, the Dalai Lama fled that night, arriving in India two weeks later. To this date, he has never returned to his homeland.
There are many stories within this larger drama, so this will be the first in a short series of posts dealing with the Dalai Lama's escape. Some bits are still in rough stages as certain elements won't be in a finished state until the feature is closer to being done. Hopefully that won't deter this and future posts from being worth watching.
Ratu Ngawang: We Must Never Forget March 10
March 10, 2010Ratu Ngawang is respected among many Tibetans as a former commander in the Chushi Gangdruk, the Tibetan resistance army that fought the Chinese PLA from the 50s through the early 70s. He was also the head of security in the escape of the Dalai Lama, which began one week after the Tibetan uprising began on March 10, 1959.
Here's a clip from my interview with him in November, 2009.
Mikel Dunham Remembers March 10th
March 10, 2010Mikel Dunham spent 7 years collecting first hand stories from the Tibetan fighters in the resistance against the Chinese, as well as former CIA officers who worked on the Tibetan Task Force. His book "Buddha's Warriors" was the first one I read while researching the CIA's operation in Tibet, and he was one of the first people I interviewed. In acknowledgment of the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, here's a clip from my interview with Mikel that gives a vivid retrospective of March 10, 1959, and sets the tone of the times leading up to it.
Unfortunately my archival footage is non-existent when it come to photographs and film that depict the actual day. I used film of the Dalai Lama, from the CIA collection at the National Archives. The library's notes don't say who shot the film, but it's most likely Tibetan CIA trainees who were taught to shoot film to gather intelligence for the CIA.
March 10, 2009: Dharamsala, India
March 8, 2010Continuing with stories of March 10 as we near the 51st anniversary of Tibet's National Uprising Day, here's another short documentary from one of last year's observations of this special day in Tibetan history. As the home of the Tibetan government in exile, Dharamsala's events continued throughout the day, beginning with the annual ceremony and speech from the Dalai Lama.
March 9, 2009: Washington DC
March 7, 2010March 10th has been commemorated by Tibetans every year since 1959 as the National Uprising Day, when the Tibetan people united in revolt against the Chinese occupation of their country, and to protect their spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama. As the 51st anniversary approaches, I'll be posting videos that tell the story of that day in one way or another. Today I'm revisiting a short I made last year of a rally in DC, one of many events around the world in honor of 2009's 50th anniversary.
To document March 10th this year, I'm planning a montage of various events from as many cities as I can gather footage from. If anyone will be shooting video or stills this Wednesday, and would like to share with this blog, please email me at lisa@kefiworks.com. Credit will be given to anyone who's work is shown, and will be much appreciated.
Meet My Dad
March 4, 2010Clay Cathey isn't your average retiree playing golf on a weekday. He's a former CIA retiree playing golf on a weekday, and he's got some interesting stuff to say. He's also my father, and the reason why I started the CIA IN TIBET project in the first place. In 2005, I found out Dad had worked on the Tibetan Task Force from 1958 to 1962. It had been declassified in 1997, so there were several books on the topic, as well as a 1998 BBC documentary by Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin. After beginning to learn about this history, I was amazed it was still so little-known, and felt compelled to add an updated perspective on it. Two years and over 30 interviews later, I'm just starting to get a handle on the scope of this story.
So even though this post isn't strictly on topic for 'March Month', I wanted the blog to start where the project started, and we'll take it from there.
3.19.10 CORRECTION: Regarding the statement I made that the operation was declassified in 1997: the operation itself has not yet been declassified, though the fact that the operation existed has been, as well as several related documents. --Lisa Cathey
The 51st March
March 1, 2010Early last year, I had hoped to have a short documentary on the Dalai Lama's escape from Tibet finished by March 2009, the event's 50th anniversary. For many reasons it didn't get completed, but I'm happy to give it some kind of life here and will post more finished segments throughout the month, starting tonight. Also in the month's mix will be clips from recent interviews with Tibetan former resistance fighters who share their personal experiences from March 1959. So in one way or another, all March videos will be devoted to this landmark month in Tibetan history.
For now, to officially kick off Kefiblog, as well as March, here's the open sequence to the never-finished and never-seen "Escape into Exile".
