15 August 2006
Phuntsog Nyidron addresses UN committee
(ICT) Former Tibetan political prisoner Phuntsog Nyidron testified before the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights at its 58th session taking place at the United Nations in Geneva. Known as one of the "Singing Nuns" of Drapchi Prison, she informed the UN human rights expert body about her 15 years of imprisonment describing the experience as torturous, humiliating, unhealthy and lacking any legal rights. "By relating my own personal experience of 15 years in Chinese prison and Chinese officials' torture and humiliation, I wish to inform the Sub-Commission about the consistent pattern of violation of human rights and fundamental freedom of the Tibetan people, and in particular, those of the Tibetan political prisoners", she told the 26 experts of the body. Speaking in Tibetan, Phuntsok Nyidron urged the UN Sub-Commission on human rights to help bring about a change in the situation in Tibet when she said: "... despite China's claim of the situation being better, I can say that even today Tibetans in Tibet do not enjoy those rights that are even guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution. I stand before you today as a testimony to the fact that international concern and intervention on the deplorable human rights situation in Tibet does have an effect. While I rejoice in my freedom I urge the United Nations human rights bodies not to forget the very many Tibetans who have been imprisoned solely for voicing their strong feelings towards their religious, national and cultural identity and for peaceful expression of their belief in the non-violent freedom struggle of Tibet."