To Begin With….
My name is Tenzin chokey and I live in New York city. I am here by, in my full consciousness writing this to bring, by and large, awareness to the people of Tibetan community living in India and across the globe. The main purpose of my writing is to give strength and courage to the victims of sexual assault to speak up against the predators.
I have come from a family of sexual assault victim and have been equally devastated mentally and emotionally throughout times without any repercussion faced by the culprit. Often times when an assault happens in a family, the entire family has to go through a difficult phase and endure the pain which only a victim’s family can possibly feel.
I am a proud Tibetan being. Since, I belonged to the Tibetan community. I know how small our community is and how protective we are all in saving the face value of our community so much so that we are dismissal and blindsided to distinguish between what is lawful and unlawful actions committed by our fellow Tibetan.
Many times, when someone tries to expose and be vocal against unlawful and criminal activities of our fellow Tibetan, they are shushed by some fellow community people by giving unreasonable suggestions and opinions that they don’t even dare begin to speak up. The most common phrases used in these suggestions or opinions to silent the victims are as such “it will bring shame to the community”, “it will make Chinese happy” or you are a Chinese dog”, or a traitor for that matter. That’s the very sole reason why our youth in our small community are hopeless and losing faith due to helplessness and being diverted towards different directions and being less involved in the community.
This is my story…
I started protesting against Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok (who was an ex-deputy speaker of Tibetan parliament in exile) on October 7th 2022 here in New York 57-12 Tibet Way, 32nd Ave, Woodside, NY 11377 for his misconduct of sexual assault back in India in year 2009 in NewDelhi.
https://www.youtube.com/live/Fr0SJA7Zxl0?si=_Yy-UtIzEKQeMncV
https://youtu.be/A0c66dHUyc0?si=8SuC1SdBlctEg_l2
In the beginning of September 2022, when I first learned that he is visiting New York for a gala dinner, a thanksgiving for his services in the Tibetan community in exile. I couldn’t stop myself to request to express and share my point of view with the event organizer stating that it would only set a wrong example to our younger generations and will disappoints many victims of his sexual misconduct and those who knew and witnessed such incidents directly or indirectly.
Furthermore, I had a discussion with event organizer via Facebook messenger and contacted them on phone to please stop encouraging and celebrating the abuser.
They had agreed on having this conversation over the voice mail to continue to discuss more in details on sexual assault abuser after the gala dinner. One of the members from the event organiser also posted a post on Facebook about the discussion being held. Another member said to me over the phone that he would bring Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok to my house and I could even slap him across his face but first let the event process ahead because it has a lot of money already involved.
It sickens me to my stomach how we as Tibetans go on and about fighting for human rights and democracy, we have lost so many of our country people on our path to fight for freedom and justice yet we have a predator living and breathing in our own backyard and we are ready to overlook and move on like it never happened. Really? whilst discussing the sexual assault with the event organizers, They, at some point questioned my motives behind bringing up the issue. Eventually they not only stick by their words but gave a free pass to the predator and mislead me into thinking that they even considering the discussions.
These organizers twisted and turned my clear motive and intentions into their own political agenda and hence started a media trial by their own.
Polarization-
There are some vloggers that are associated and forms an alliance with these event organizers and propagates division and disrupts in our community in regards to any issues amongst us Tibetans.
These vloggers operate from Tenzin Yeshi—Toronto Canada, Sonam Dhondup —Toronto Canada, Tenzin Lungtok Calgary alberta Canada. Ngawang khenrab—Calgalary alberta Canada. Tseten choedon—Austria, Tsering lhamo—Australia, Sonam Anuthang—Czech Republic, Tsering lhamo Australia, Tseten Choedon Austria, Tamtse Tsering Switzerland, Jinpa Yeshi—Madison, Tsetan Dhundup—NewYork, Dakyab Lobsang—New York, Sonam lhamo—New York, Kunga Thinley—New York, Tenzin J marsen—New York, Norbu Lhamo—New York.
Their followers on social media blindly attacking, characterizing, calling me by names such as traitors, prostitute, demon, witches, accusing a monk, doing it for money, Chinese dog, and calling it a fake allegation and the list goes on and on. It was too much for me to bear and to communicate with them and to make them understand because people started pouring in their opinions from everywhere on social media without giving any thoughts and consideration on how sensitive the issue that is being raised and how as a community, we should come together to tackle it.
These vloggers are solely responsible for spreading false information, damaging my image and brainwashing to entertain their viewers that took toll on my personal life and mental health.
During those days, there were also victims coming out on Facebook claiming of sexual assaults on them by the same sexual predator “Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok”, due to false information spread by these above-mentioned vloggers the victims were uncomfortably fearful to come out in open. The event organiser’s wife (Sonam lhamo) has already made up her mind on whose side she is taking without trying to find out what must have befallen the victims, if the accusations are true in its nature. Instead, she goes on lashing out vulgarity on one of the victims by calling her Chinese dog to cover up Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok’s wrongdoings and to shut the victims’ voice. Thus, declaring a mindset, to overlook on the matter and to carry on with their political agenda.
This is when I realized I had to do something to be heard and make Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok and his supporters accountable for their actions.
I went out to protest outside the venue where the gala dinner was being held and I was faced with so much contempt by the people I thought I was part of.
I was at the venue across the street protesting, joined by some independent vloggers at the scene going live. But the gala dinner went on like no one cared about one of their own kind, bearing a Tibetan flag, standing outside the venue protesting and appealing to people who were attending the gala dinner to either not to be a part of the ceremonial or to raise questions inside the event to Acharya yeshi Phuntsok if the accusations made against him were true, rather he was being shielded by people when entering inside the venue.
Later on, as the day went by, I was exhilarated to see some of our fellow Tibetan people who came out in solidarity to support the protest and their believe in truth and clarification. Then there were three other women from the venue claiming themselves as a Regional Tibetan women association who came out to pick fight with us on the street to distract and hijack the protest for being vocal against the sexual predator. By pushing and confronting, they physically assaulted some of us protesters making excuses to disrupt the protest. In that moment I felt “women are woman’s real enemy”.
During the protest, people who participated to celebrate the event came out of the venue to laugh and mock at us protesters and spoke abusive language. Their perspective on sexual assault issue seemed trivial and doesn’t seem to bother or concern them at all.
After the protest on October 7th 2023. They never seem to stop there and continued to drilled me furthermore on and off social media. Maligning my name, reputation, assassinated my character, harassing me and my husband including my family. They made us a subject to be mocked on and make meme out of me in a manner on social media so that no victims in our community would ever be able to come out in public.
Since then, I decided to go streaming live on Facebook to spread awareness on sexual assaults, social behavior and environment, advocating how we become entitled to abuse others and don’t even realize our own self-actions and behavior impact the society as whole that we eventually don’t know how to differentiate between the good and the bad. Thus, my reason to going live stream is to encourage others to “tell your story”.
Appeal-
Most of the victims were married and lives in countries like Europe and some parts of America. They are still struggling with their emotions. One of victims even have a 2-year-old toddler and was expecting a child during those days while I too was preparing to become a mother at the same time. Me and my husband have been planning for a small family of our own after all these years of life endurance, physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically, and financially. We were taking round of visits to fertility doctors in America and in India and undergoing fertility treatment just to bring a child to this world and as were preparing to become parents.
On the other hand, I was facing harsh trolling while the harassment and bullying continued so much so that I lost the opportunity to conceive due to mental torture, pressures that caused me my health at that point. My dream of having my own little family was crushed because of the pressure and disturbing circumstances these ignorant and arrogant people caused me just because I spoke the truth.
I appeal to both CTA (Central Tibetan Administration)and TSJC (Tibetan Supreme Justice Commissions) for the sexual assault by Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok. In regards to that I received an acknowledgement letter from both the CTA and TSJC stating their zero tolerance stand towards sexual assault and stated that it is a criminal case and unfortunately doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of exiled Tibetan Supreme Justice Commissions (TSJC).
I have also reported the case to the Central Tibetan Women Association (TWA) and had communication from the Tibetan women helpline. I received a note from Tibetan women empowerment of CTA but sadly nothing much can be done to get the justice for the victims nor could we stop the continued assault and harassment that is ongoing in our community. Rather I have been facing bully and harassment from some of these so-called vloggers and their followers that backed Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok.
Parliamentarians
Ever since I learned that the jurisdiction of criminal act doesn’t fall under the Tibetan Justice Commission. Furthermore, I wrote an appeal letter to the Tibetan parliament in-exile (TPIE) and to all the parliamentarian to form or pass a law during the parliament session held in march 2023 to safeguard our women against sexual assault in our community.
In that very parliament session, I find out that some of the parliamentarian in-fact backed the sexual predator Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok. Which means they will never help a common people like me and protect our rights but will overwrite and overrule on everything that goes against their political agendas. Since then, I am able to interpret a clear picture and analyze the overall situation of our community that people are being misled and misinformed purposely to sow ignorance among ourselves. Likewise: According to CBC NNLIVE news on March 25, 2023 “the Chinese communist Party using racism as a shield to prevent investigation”
https://fb.watch/qO57W5hTvH/ attaching the link as a reference to the situation in our Tibetan community.
I have reported Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok as sexual predator to Indian Embassy in New York, US embassy in New Delhi by email and later wrote to Canadian Embassy too in the past.
Apart from the above-mentioned incidents. On October 28th 2023, an event was held in New York at the Tibetan community hall in the basement by Regional Tibetan women of NYNJ (New York New Jersey) I was invited to the event to speak on sexual assault among our community but the event was conspired by Sonam Lhamo from Regional Tibetan Women Association of New York New Jersey (RTWA NYNJ) to trick and trap me to prove I was crazy and to call cops on me. The security guy at that event was tipped to snatched the microphone out of my hand to incite me to fight back while the livestream of the event was on air. The entire Tibetan community from all over the world have seen that live streaming.
However, the video was edited and presented to made me look like I was attacking the security guard. Meanwhile their followers troll me with the video as shame and threatened me with suicidal note. I went to the nearby police station to report the incident and found out I should go to a Queen’s County for criminal act. I went there the next day only to find out that I need 911 report which we don’t have one.
In April 2023, when His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s playful video went viral, that was the same time around I was being vocal about Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok for his sexual assault in our community and some of our fellow Tibetans started accusing me for bringing shame in our community. They made me feel guilty for speaking up the truth against Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok who wore red robe.
Be it the viral video incident or any other allegations towards His Holiness. It has caused a great pain and heartbreaks that left a deep wound amongst Tibetan and Buddhist community all over the globe. It caused me a great pain too as His Holiness is not only our spiritual leader but a parent to our community. His Holiness preaches us to exercise our freedom of speech freely and be vocal about wrongdoings to minimize crime and misconduct that happens in every other community.
His Holiness also advices us from time and now reminding us of oneness, love, kind, compassion and unity. Bestowing us with Buddhist’s teachings, knowledge and awareness, on good moral and ethics as always. Which is the very reason that gave me strength in the first place to be vocal about the sexual assault.
It is not fair to blame or place the responsibility solely on His Holiness for someone else’s misconduct of sexual assault and criminal activities by associating His Holiness with the red robe, or as being the head of spiritual Buddhist leader.
To Conclude-
Ever since, I have brought this issue up in the Tibetan and Buddhist communities to raise awareness. It is my responsibility that I must make official acknowledgment via this article that all claims made here are true to its nature.
The Tibetan authorities and the Tibetan community are well aware of the circumstances of assaults in our communities. so, we as Tibetans and Buddhist communities should come together to take equal initiative to keep the community clean of criminal activities and destructive behaviour. I urge the authorities to take initiative steps to combat sexual assaults and harassment in our Tibetan community and request people to support the cause to spread awareness. I also urge the victims to come out and “tell your story” So that in the near future anyone irrespective of their age and gender can raise their voice openly without the fear of being judged.
“Our World will be safer with one less culprit roaming freely”.
Chokey Tenzin is not only the founder of “Exile Voice,” but also an accomplished singer and songwriter. As a mature woman, she has become a powerful advocate for justice, speaking out against various forms of injustice. In addition to her activism, she is also a devoted mother who strives to empower her people, particularly the youth. Her vision for her community is one of growth and awareness, where individuals are able to thrive and resist the manipulation and distractions that threaten to hinder progress.