SLAUGHTER OF REFUGEES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29268, 28 July 1960, Page 21

SLAUGHTER OF REFUGEES

Tibetan’s Account Of Atrocities

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) KATMANDU, July 25.

A leading Tibetan trader who arrived in Katmandu today claimed that the Chinese seated off a mountain pass and mowed down 3000 refugees until the last one was still, British United Press reported. The trader is Chawang Puncho, a Kbamba, who described himself as “probably the last of the Khamba fighting leaders to leave Lhasa after about 20,000 Chinese soldiers were killed in the streets during the revolt which followed the departure of the Dalai Lama for India.” ■ The refugee massacre, he said, lasted 24 hours. Then the Chinese climbed down the steep slopes and killed each wounded person —men, women, and children—with bayonets. The massacre is said to have taken place on June 25 and 26 at Tzadung, Western Tibet. Pass Closed He told how 3000 refugees, pursued by Chinese soldiers, were fleeing through western Tibet to Nepal when they camped in a pass at dusk on June 25. As they slept, 4000 Chinese took up positions around the pass and dosed all the exits. The machine-guns began to play over the ranks of resting refugees, Puncho said, and did not stop until the following evening. He said that the refugees were mostly Tibetan peasants, who have been deprived of their land by the Chinese. Describing the revolt which followed the Dalai Lama’s escape to India early last year, Puncho said: “We fought the modem weapons of the Chinese with kitchen knives and I paid 500 rupees (£25) to buy one bullet. I used it to kin a Chinese. We spent all our money buying bullets, regardless of the price. “I killed about 100 Chinese soldiers. Twenty-five members of my family were killed fighting the Chinese and we Still intend to fight, if we can get the arms. “We have not accepted our defeat, although we are temporarily short of weapons. We must free the country of the Chinese invaders. No Kbamba will rest while a single Chinese stays in Tibet. Tibet belongs to the Tibetans.” Puncho said.