Reports are continuously received of Tibetan nuns being particularly targeted for degrading treatment and inhumane torture methods in Chinese prisons in Tibet. Many of these women, pushed beyond their limits, suffer permanent mental or physical damage or even die. Kunchok Tsomo, a 25 year old nun from the town Meldro Gyama, under Lhasa city, was detained in Drapchi Prison for three years. For that entire period she was denied proper treatment for a broken arm and it is feared that she may be permanently disabled.
Kunchok Tsomo was arrested in May 1993 for taking part in a peaceful demonstration in the Barkhor market area in Lhasa. While being arrested, she was hit with a rifle butt and the bone of her upper right arm was broken. Kunchok complained of the pain, but was not given medical attention or taken to the hospital.
While in prison, Kunchok constantly had to keep her arm tied in a sling and was forced to clean and separate wool- work that all of the nuns detained in Drapchi Prison are forced to do.
Only once, as she was complaining of severe pain, was she given a pain-killer but she still did not receive any treatment for her broken arm. Kunchok lived with this pain and inconvenience for the entire three years.
As soon as she was released in June 1996, Kunchok’s relatives took her for treatment in a hospital. They were informed by the doctor that due to the long period of time without any treatment, Kunchok’s flesh and grown around and inside the broken bone. Her relatives fear that it now too late to have her bone put back together. Kunchok’s current condition is reported to be poor and she is still under medication.
This information was given to the TCHRD by Kunchok’s elder brother who is a former political prisoner. Kunchok’s younger brother, Bakdo, 22 years old, is currently in Trisan prison serving a two year sentence.
