Tibetan Women's Association marks 30 years of silent protest

Dharamshala [India], December 7 : The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) observed the 30th anniversary of the historic 'Silent Protest' staged during the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, a symbolic act remembered as the first protest by Tibetan exiles against Chinese rule on Chinese territory, as reported by Phayul.

According to Phayul, the commemoration, held at the Tibetan Settlement Hall in Dharamshala, honoured the courage of nine Tibetan exile women: Gyalthong Tsering Dolma, Kherol Seldup, Tenzin Dolker Jinpa, Chime Dhonden, Youdon Dhonden, Phuntsok Dolma, Kalsang Wangmo, Dorje Dolma Kherol, and Tsomo Namgyal. These women had silently stood in the rain with scarves tied across their mouths, representing China's systematic silencing of Tibetan voices.

The nine were the only Tibetans permitted to attend the 1995 conference in Beijing.

The event featured special guest Ngawang Lhamo, TWA's General Secretary at the time, who played a key role in securing the delegates' participation.

Recalling the struggle, she noted that years of persistence and advocacy were required to gain international recognition for Tibetan women's voices.

She said the association not only fought for women's equality but also raised concerns about China's human rights abuses and the paradox of holding a UN women's conference in a country known for its oppression.

A letter from Eva Harzer, who mentored the Tibetan delegates during the 1995 event, was also shared. Harzer described the extensive preparations made to ensure the delegates' safety amid intense Chinese surveillance.

"We decided that each Tibetan woman would be accompanied around the clock by a Western delegate," she wrote, adding that the plan ensured diplomatic protection and fostered greater global awareness of Tibet's plight, as highlighted by Phayul.

Human rights lawyer Reed Brody, who accompanied the Tibetan delegation, recalled through a video message that the women were constantly followed and harassed by Chinese police.

Despite the pressure, their silent act of defiance resonated globally, drawing coverage from international media and cementing its place as a landmark moment in the Tibetan struggle for freedom, as reported by Phayul.

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