Brussels: - Venerable Bagdro is a Tibetan buddhist monk and former political prisoner who is currently living in Dharamsala in India. He was born in a poor family of farmers in Tibet and became a monk at the Ganden monastery at the age of eighteen.
In 1988 he participated in a peaceful protest in Lhasa for freedom in Tibet. During the demonstration on 5th March, the Chinese police opened fire on the demonstrators. Many were killed or got wounded. In the chaos, a Chinese policeman died. Venerable Bagdro was suspected to have led the protests and to have killed the policeman.
After a time hiding, he was arrested. Bagdro was imprisoned and he was severely beaten and tortured. Although he was wrongly accused, he was forced to confess by cruel tortures. On a trial without any rights to defence, he was sentenced to three years in a Chinese prison.
In prison he suffered a lot from the inhuman conditions and hardships. It was truly the hell on earth. In 1991 Bagdro was released from prison and he managed to escape to India where he met His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Afterwards, with the help of Mrs. Danielle Mitterand, the wife of the French President, he could travel to France for medical treatment.
Since 1993, Venerable Bagdro travels all around he world to testify about his experiences in a Chinese prison. He also writes books about the repression in Tibet by the Chinese government.
Dennis Barbion and his wife Marijke Reynaert from Belgium have met Venerable Bagdro for the first time in 2008 in Dharamsala. They bought his book in English "A hell on earth" in which Bagdro testifies about his hard life in prison. Reading the book was moving and it made a deep impression.
Dennis stayed in touch with Bagdro. When the Tibetan monk visited France and Spain in June-July 2009, Dennis also organised a lecture for Bagdro in Antwerpen (Belgium). At that time, Dennis was working for "Vrienden van Tibet", Friends of Tibet for the Dutch part of Belgium. Venerable Bagdro came specially to Belgium for one week to give the lecture. Afterwards, Dennis suggested to Bagdro to translate the book in Dutch. This book is now published by Dennis Barbion.
In the book "Een hel op aarde, een beknopte biografie van een Tibetaanse politieke gevangene" (ISBN number 9781616275020) tells Bagdro about his participation in the demonstration in Lhasa, his arrest and the false accusations, his conviction at the trial without any legal defense, the inhuman treatment in the Chinese prison and the tortures, and his release and escape to India.
The book in Dutch has 86 pages and the price is 12 euro without shipping costs (14 euro including shipping). It can be ordered by transferring the amount on account number BE25 9795 9253 2282 of Barbion-Reynaert (BIC code: ARSPEBE22). Please mention "Boek Een hel op aarde - Venerable Bagdro". The book will be send afterwards. People in The Netherlands can order the book by contacting Marijke Veldman:
The book will also be sold at the Tibet Day organised by "Vrienden van Tibet" on Saturday 24th September 2011 from 14.00 till 23.00 o'clock in ‘t Ey en de Kouter in the Koutermolenstraat 6 B in Belsele (Belgium). Everyone is welcome!
All the incomes of the sale of the book go entirely to Venerable Bagdro! Venerable Bagdro normally would present the book in Dutch personally in Belgium and The Netherlands, during a new tour in Europe. However it's not certain he can travel to Europe because he still has no visum, although he applied his visum already in June.
Dennis Barbion also has two books by Venerable Bagdro in English for sale ("A hell on earth" and "Tibet, a prison of China") and the chanting cd "Songs Of Happiness" by Venerable Bagdro. More information on this link: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-606394.
