The voice that remembers : one woman's historic fight to free Tibet

When Adhe Tapontsang--or Ama (Mother) Adhe, as she is affectionately known--left Tibet in 1987, she was allowed to do so on the condition that she remain silent about her twenty-seven years in Chinese prisons. Yet she made a promise to herself and to the many that did not survive: she would not let the truth about China's occupation go unheard or unchallenged. The Voice That Remembers is an engrossing firsthand account of Ama Adhe's mission and a record of a crucial time in modern Tibetan history. It will forever change how you think about Tibet, about China, and about our shared capacity for survival. When Adhe Tapontsang - or Ama Adhe, as she is affectionately known - left Tibet in 1987, she did so on the condition that she never speak to anyone about the atrocities of her twenty-seven years in Chinese prisons. Although she did not want to leave her high mountain homeland in eastern Tibet, where she spent a very happy childhood, she wanted to inform the world of the inhuman conditions she and countless others were forced to endure after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950. She wanted to tell the world of the destruction of Buddhist monasteries and the implementation of policies that would result in mass starvation. But, more importantly, she wanted to tell the world of the systematic physical torture and imprisonment of thousands and thousands of Tibetans who dared to protest the occupation of their nation. Although Adhe's story is one of suffering, it is also a testimony of great hope for humanity. Throughout nearly three decades of malnutrition, beatings, physical labor, and solitary confinement, Adhe never wavered in her courage or her compassion. Her constant attention to the needs of other prisoners and her steadfast refusal to divulge, even under torture, the names of other Tibetans who shared her patriotic perspective serve to remind us of the immense power of the human will. Certainly, the reader of this astounding narrative will come away with a renewed sense of the injustices that have been inflicted on Tibet and the urgency of the situation there. But just as certainly, the reader will be inspired by the strength, the determination, and the selflessness of this extraordinary Tibetan woman. Having read this book, it will be impossible to forget Adhe Tapontsang, for she is "the voice that remembers." Adhe Tapontsang Speaks Of The Atrocities Of Her Twenty-seven Years In Chinese Prisons After The Invasion Of Tibet In 1950. Before The Years Of Sorrow. Childhood In The Land Of Flowers. From Nyarong. Family And Traditions. Memories Of Karze -- Invasion And Imprisonment. The Advent Of Communism. Forgotten Promises. Desperate Battles. Arrest. We Will See That You Suffer For The Rest Of Your Life. Gothang Gyalgo -- Lotus In The Lake. Pouring Water On A Stone. Reunions -- An Unstilled Voice. Liberalization. Freedom. Testimony For The Dead And The Living. By Adhe Tapontsang, As Told To Joy Blakeslee. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 257). When Adhe Tapontsang—or Ama (Mother) Adhe, as she is affectionately known—left Tibet in 1987, she was allowed to do so on the condition that she remain silent about her twenty-seven years in Chinese prisons. Yet she made a promise to herself and to the many that did not survive: she would not let the truth about China's occupation go unheard or unchallenged.__The Voice That Remembers__ Ama Adhe's spirit soars over national and cultural boundaries. Her tenacious struggle to remain human in the face of inhuman torture and deprivation while imprisoned by the Chinese for 27 years inspires any reader fortunate enough to encounter this remarkable woman's story. The Voice that Remembers features additional material on Tibet and China in the last half of the 20th century Ama Adhe's spirit soars over national and cultural boundaries. Her tenacious struggle to remain human in the face of inhuman torture and deprivation while imprisoned by the Chinese for 27 years inspires any reader fortunate enough to encounter this remarkable woman's story. An added bonus is an education on Tibet and China in the last half of the 20th century. A Tibetan activist tells the story of her life, including 27 years spent in Chinese prisons, in which she suffered beatings, torture, solitary confinement, and other privations; and of her continued devotion to the cause of Tibetan freedom The author recounts her twenty-seven-year imprisonment in Chinese labor camps