Name: Panay Bum
(Alias: No)
Gender: Male
Interview Age: 83
Date of Birth: 1934
Birthplace: Chonay, Amdo, Tibet
Year Left Tibet: 1959
Profession: Farming, Herding
Monk/Nun: No
Political Prisoner: No
Interview No.: 30U
Date: 2017-04-07
Language: Tibetan
Location: Clement Town, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Categories: Resistance and Revolution
Keywords: Amdo, Chinese army -- invasion by , Chushi Gangdrug guerrillas, government/administration, resistance fighters
Summary:
Panay Bum was born in Chonay in Amdo Province in 1934. His mother was always very busy attending to the farm and to the animals at their nomadic site. His father served as a minister under the Chief of Chonay for tens of thousands of families. Panay Bum describes the history behind the Chiefs of Chonay and the relationship between Amdo Province and China.
Panay Bum recalls learning at the age of 16 that the Chief of Chonay warned of a Chinese invasion and the ministers chose to resist. He joined the volunteer resistance fighters and fought the Chinese army for a year and half until the number of Chinese soldiers increased. The resistance group received assistance from Tibetan Muslims, whose region had already been occupied by the Chinese.
After the Chinese army invaded, they gave gifts to the Tibetans and sponsored long propaganda lessons each night. His mother asked Panay Bum to go to Lhasa because she was worried about his safety. There he joined the Chushi Gangdrug [Defend Tibet Volunteer Force] and fought for another year before escaping to India.
Interview Team:
- Marcella Adamski (Interviewer)
- Tenzin Yangchen (Interpreter)
- Tenzin Choenyi (Videographer)
