Bod – Rig Punda

Today I received a phone call from Rabjor, he walked from his monastery in Kopan to Boudha. 15 minutes after we met at the stupa.
“I’ll go to Tibet this week.”
I can not believe what I hear, years ago he escaped from it, and for months now Tibet is a very tensed place, left alone for monks like him who escaped it.
He explains that the killing is still going on in Tibet, where the people started to demonstrate a couple of months ago. China locked since then Tibet for every foreigner, no extra eyes in theirs affairs. Many Tibetans go demonstrate mostly every day in Kathmandu, where the Nepali police quiet hard reacts upon them. Somehow understandable, China is a mighty neighbor. Many demonstrations are going on all over the globe, with no result then empty promises and words until so far.

Rabjor - who already made his photograph appear in the newspaper here while being arrested - and another few monks and Tibetans started “Bod – Rig, Punda”, which more or less means: All Cast Brotherhood. “We are all brothers”, one monks explains the chosen title.
The plan: 50 monks and Tibetans will leave this weak very early in the morning from Kathmandu, to go walk to the Tibetan border. All will wear T-shits with ‘Human Right Tibet?’ and ‘No More Genocide In Tibet’. If they can make it up to there without being captured by the Nepali police or army, they will walk into Tibet.
Most of them once walked the same walk, but to the other way, on the run for the Chinese police / army, out of Tibet. And they are outlaws there now.
At first Rabjor tells me he is not afraid, but seconds later he expresses he is aware of the high risk. He is not afraid for Nepali police or jails, but he knows how it is in Tibet. On his determined face I can read the questions about what after the border.
“Walk everyday 35 cora’s for me.” Is his answer on my request what I can do. 35, his age.
I look at my friend his face when we say goodbye at the end of the afternoon and realize this might be the last time I see him.