Adhe, Ama, The Voice That Remembers. Massachusets Sommerville, Wisdom Publications, 1997. 02144. 272 pages. (Kitap Tanitimi/Book Reviews).(Book Review)

Adhe, Ama, The Voice That Remembers. Massachusets Sommerville, Wisdom Publications, 1997. 02144. 272 pages. ISBN: 0-86171-130-0 Price: $11.96

'The Voice That Remembers' is a biographical novel that deals with the memoirs of a woman who has become a symbol of courage and heroism for the Tibetan people during the Chinese invasion of Tibet in the early 1950s. The novel highlights the life and the bitter experiences of Ama Adhe, the heroine, a native Tibetan woman who endured suffering during 1950s with outstanding human dignity, sacrifice and intensive attempts to protect the social, cultural and religious values of Tibet.

The memoirs are edited by Joe Blakeslee and printed in 1997. It portrays the Tibetan culture and emphasises the strong devotion to the Buddhist religion and specifically the significance of freedom in the Tibetan society. These issues are the counterpoints of the novel, which have been briefly addressed as the major ideals.

Adhe Taponstag (Ama Adhe) was barn in 1932 in the northern area of Nyagto, Tibet. She was imprisoned for 27 years for taking an active role against the Chinese Communist regime over Tibet in the mid 1950s. She is one of the few people who succeeded to survive the horrible torture, starvation while subject to humiliation and violence in the concentration camps. She was charged as the key rebel in the Karze region of Kham and taken to a labor camp to provide information about the Tibetan organisation during 1959. She was the founder and the leader of the women's organisation in the concentration camps. In 1985, she was released under a changing policy in Tibet. On March 28, in the same year, China announced the dissolution of the Tibetan government. After this Ama decided to produce her memoirs for the world in order to inform people about the Chinese Communist Regime, its real effects and consequences.

Adhe's first attempt to fulfill her mission occurs in Germany and Copenhagen in 1989. She had worked with the International Campaigns for Tibet coordinating programs for Human Rights. She has given countless seminars to groups in many parts of USA and Canada. Eventually, she was invited to share her experiences via memoirs with the world. She is 71 years old now and still working for the democratic rights of Tibetan people. At the moment, Ama and her husband both work in the Tibetan Office of Reception where they distribute help for Tibetan people in Dharamsala, India.

Ama's ...