Dharamshala: Noted Tibetan resistance fighter and long-serving member of the Central Tibetan Administration Bhusang La passed away at 80 in Dharamsala on March 25th.Born in Nyemo Disctrict in Tibet's central province of U-Tsang, Bhusang studied Tibetan medicine at the Men-Tsee Khang and in 1949 became a physician for the police department.
He joined the Tibetan army in 1942 at the age of twelve, and fought for Tibetan Independence in the 1959 Uprising against the Chinese. His death closely follows the 50th anniversary of the Uprising.
Bhusang was later selected by the CIA to be trained at Camp Hale, Colorado as part of the organisation's clandestine program to undermine communist and left-wing governments. In 1960 he was the sole survivor of a team parachuted into Markham district in Eastern Tibet. When he was captured, he tried to bite down on his cyanide capsule the CIA had provided, but was arrested before he could do so. The failure of the mission is credited with causing the CIA to reevaluate its tactics in Tibet.
In his 18 years of imprisonment, he was continually interrogated and tortured by Chinese authorities.
Bhusang escaped to India after his release in 1978, and served in the Department of Security of the Central Tibetan Administration from 1982 until his retirement in 2003.
The Department of Security today released a statement on Bhusang's death: “Since his childhood Bhusang la has never wavered for a single day from his determination and commitment to work for the cause of Tibet and the people of Tibet. We deeply commend his service and pray for a good rebirth,” tibet.net reported.
