Murder In The Snow

It was a very poignant evening in McLeod Ganj.

At 6pm there was a candlelight procession through the streets to acknowledge and commemorate Tapey, a monk from Kirti Monastery in Amdo. Tapey went into the central market outside the monastery yesterday, carrying a home-made Tibetan flag with a photo of the Dalai Lama in the centre. He then publicly set himself alight. Rather than douse the monk, the Chinese police shot him and took the body away. Yesterday was Monlam – the third day of Losar which is particularly associated as a prayer day. Click here for more on this story.

The demonstration wove its way through both of McLeod Ganj´s streets and headed to the Tsuglag Khang temple.

About 500 – 800 people gathered in the courtyard, for the documentary showing of “Tibet: Murder in the Snow”. Using the original footage shot by climbers as well as reconstructions using the original refugees, it tells the true story of 72 Tibetans trying to cross into Nepal at the Nangpa Pass near the base camp of Cho Oyu in September 2006. Chinese border guards shot at them indiscriminately, killing a 17 year old nun Kelsang Namtso. 32 managed to escape, but 40 were arrested and subsequently viciously tortured.

It marked the first time that the shooting of refugees was recorded on video – shot by a Romanian climber. “They´re shooting them like dogs!” you hear him report as he witnesses the atrocities in front of his very eyes. The footage was smuggled out and shown worldwide.

Both the director, Mark Gould, the producer, Sally (both Australians) gave a short presentation as well as several of the refugees who were fortunate enough to make it across the border in this incident and appeared in the documentary. One of them is sitting right next to K. He escaped by hiding in the climbers´ toilet tent.

The audience were clearly very moved; after all, many had made the similar journey across the border themselves.

More information about the documentary can be found here.