Palden Gyatso

Venerable Palden Gyatso is a Tibetan Buddhist monk. He was first jailed by the invading Communist Chinese forces in 1959 for being a "reactionary element." He spent the majority of the next 33 years in jail, enduring brutal physical and psychological abuse and torture. Gyatso was beaten, kicked, suspended from the ceiling above burning fire and shocked with electric cattle prods by the Chinese authorities, who attempted to break his will to continue fighting for Tibetan freedom.

In 1992, Palden Gyatso finished serving his prison sentence and escaped from Tibet to India. He smuggled with him several torture instruments that were used on him in jail, which bring his stunning testimony of suffering and courage to life when he shares his story. Palden Gyatso has traveled the world extensively to tell his incredible story. He has testified in front of the United States Congress and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. His autobiography, The Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk, was translated by Tsering Shakya and published by Grove Press

In October 2002, his tour of the US was sponsored by Students for a Free Tibet.

(created 22 September 2002)
source: International Tibet Independence Movement