Donne senza confini

A SONG FOR FREEDOM

I follow the human rights since many years, I come to knowledge of repeated violations of human rights in every angle of the earth included called "civilized countries", but in 1999 I was starting to study human rights and the history of the Tibetan nun Ngawang Sangdrol immediately struck me.

Amnesty International had adopted her as prisoner of conscience who is a person to which also pacifically manifesting her own ideas, liberty is denied and as in her case, sentenced to 21 years in jail to have shouted in public "free Tibet."
Tibet vindicates its own independence from China since 1950 year in which was illegally invaded and its spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama, forced to the exile in India.
The particularity of the Ngawang's history, is the age which she has entered in jail, 13 years and a long sentence.
I read the book of Philip Broussard and Danielle Laeng "the prisoner of Lhasa". I came to knowledge of the hard conditions of Ngawang in jail. Reading the book, made me feel sad and at the same time it created me restlessness, I felt impotent, what could we do to help Ngawang? I wrote her different letters addressed to the jail of Drapchi where she was held, probably she has never received any letter however I wanted to make to feel her that there out the world was worried for her. I came into contact with Paolo Pobbiati, coordinator Asia of Amnesty International who periodically informed me on the destiny of Ngawang. Sometimes email of hope and political relaxation between Tibet and China, other times tragic news, death sentences, precarious conditions of health of the young Tibetan nun or the anxious silence from Drapchi's jail.
In the meantime the history of Ngawang made the turn of the world. I tryed to do something: i wrote articles to make to know her history; city as Florence conferred her the honorary citizen, in Bologna demonstrations for Tibet and Sangdrol.
October 17 th 2002 the news of Ngawang freedom has aroused a relative sensation, the international mobilization had gotten its effects. Ngawang was free and ready to ask politic asile in the United States.
Tuesday 22 February I had the personal emotion to meet in Bologna the small Tibetan nun, the first political prisoner that I have personally adopted. The Room Farnese of the Commune in Bologna was full of people, boys and adult people, a variegated public to listen to the testimony of Ngawang Sangdrol.
A minute woman, physical delicate and a thin voice, could give the feeling of a weak woman but knowing her history has come me to ask where and as she has found the strength to face the most atrocious tortures during the years of jail. Her answers "my faith in the Dalai Lama and the few buddhist prayers that I know. I did not know all that people were doing in the world to ask for my freedom. Thank you very much for all that you made for me".
If the history of Ngawang has had a happy ending, we can't say the same for her companions of cell, dead in jail. The political prisoners are still numerous in Tibet. China doesn't absolutely intend to grant the independence to Tibet and rather they are improving their own colonialist strategy. The Chinese government grants economic advantages to its own citizens that intend to move to Tibet. In 2007 the railway line will be completed for connecting more comfortably Tibet to China. They wants slowly to cancel the history of the Tibetan people. "Today in Tibet", Ngawang Sangdrol says, "also to become nun has to overcome an examination of the Chinese authorities to verify the fitness… ". Whoever spreads the Tibetan culture suffers the destiny of Ngawang. She has suffered an increase of the punishment to have sung a Tibetan song.
Unfortunately the perspectives for Tibet don't seem good. Few days ago the news that the Dalai Lama is sifting the possibility not to vindicate the independence but a simple "autonomy". We know that autonomy in the Chinese dictionary means only to postpone a destiny already marked. Also Hong Kong should enjoy of autonomy in comparison to China from when it is not under the British dominion anymore but slowly and culturally it is becoming Chinese.
Ngawang declares not to be politically prepared on these themes but she is agree with strategy of the Dalai Lama who is worried for the fate and of his population.Someone asks to her what we can do for helping Tibet. "To speak of my people, to write, to effect pressures on your Government to find an international solution" . Thereality is well different.
China is an economic power we can't forget this. Its weight in the chessboards international it is remarkable and if the choice will be economy or human rights, of certain the second won't be chosen. Recently Italian President Ciampi, is brought in China with a delegation of our entrepreneurs. Even though Ciampi has always shown sensibility toward the human rights, this time, "casually", he has not made references to the situation of the human rights in China neither he has recognized a "Tibet problem". Rather he has gone to the opposite direction making himself promoter of the abolition on the embargo of the sale of weapons.
Ngawang doesn't discourage at all her and will keep on turning for the world bringing her message of love and hope what has transmitted to the stage bolognese that has greeted her with a long applause.

Federico Bastiani