Remembering Kelsang Namtso

4 years ago today, one of the most important yet unfortunate events took place. Like many days before and after September 30th, 2006, a group of 75 Tibetans were attempting to flee the iron fist of China and reach the refuge of Nepal, via the Nangpa La Pass through the Himalayan mountains.

The trip had already been  harrowing enough. From the truck packed with people, resembling sardines in a can, to the harsh travel through the mountains, to the twine holding one’s shoe sole to the rest of the shoe to keep their feet warm, it soon became a test of survival rather than a simple escape to freedom.

Morning had just broken, and the group was on the move, hoping that the journey would soon come to an end. It was not the case, and frostbitten toes were the last of their worries. From the peaks they saw shadows scrambling and then the loud popping noises were heard, as was the sound of bullets buzzing by.

Book Review: Murder In The High Himalaya

“Murder In The High Himalaya”
by Jonathan Green
Published by Public Affairs Books

“We all felt that we had to get our people out of there as soon as we could because this could get uglier,” said one expedition leader. “The feeling was that we were being watched, and now that people were talking about it in base camp, it was very uncomfortable”

We’ve all seen the video by now of the CCP straight up shooting at a line of Tibetans on the Nangpa La pass from Tibet to Nepal, if not click the links but be warned you will see people being shot to death.

“Murder In The High Himalaya” is the story of that cold, dark day in the mountains of Tibet. Not only from the perspective of the Tibetans who managed to escape, but from the climbing expeditions climbing the Himalayas that day.