Name: Lobsang Tenpa
(Alias: No)
Gender: Male
Interview Age: 83
Date of Birth: 1933
Birthplace: Rila, Utsang, Tibet
Year Left Tibet: 1963
Profession: Servant
Monk/Nun: No
Political Prisoner: No
Interview No.: 36N
Date: 2015-04-14
Language: Tibetan
Location: Paljorling, Pokhara, Gandaki, Nepal
Categories: Oppression and Imprisonment
Keywords: Chinese army -- invasion by , escape experiences, guerrillas in Mustang, herding, servitude, Utsang
Summary:
Lobsang Tenpa was born in Rila, a small village of about 40-50 families in Utsang Province. He lost his parents at a young age. Being poor, Lobsang Tenpa was engaged as a servant to a family before the age of 20. He looked after their sheep and yaks and spun wool. His employers provided him with poor food, a meager salary and used clothing.
When the family Lobsang Tenpa worked for fled to Nepal, he travelled with them bringing their animals. He shares his experience of being captured by Chinese soldiers on a mountain pass near Mustang and being taken back to Tibet. But after travelling for a whole night and day, he and his co-prisoner managed to escape from the Chinese troops when they were passing through a forest at night. He escaped once again to Mustang, Nepal.
Lobsang Tenpa and the other nomad men that were living in Mustang were asked to join the Chushi Gangdrug [Defend Tibet Volunteer Force] that was re-established in Mustang. He felt obligated to join and describes how food rations were very poor at that time.
Interview Team:
- Katharine Davies Samway (Interviewer)
- Henry Tenenbaum (Videographer)
- Palden Tsering (Interpreter)
