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.
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.)
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.)
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
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
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.
