Details of Ngawang Tsultrim testimonies "In 1956, at the age of 19, I decided to resist the Chinese occupying forces in Tibet. On 26 January 1956 (according to the Tibetan calendar), this decision was made prior to the Chinese bombardment of the renowned Lithang Monastery. At that time, I was one of approximately 7,000 monks living and studying across the monastery’s eight colleges. From the very beginning of their arrival, the Chinese authorities subjected Tibetans to persistent propaganda, which intensified over time.

Following my involvement in resistance activities, I was imprisoned in the prayer hall of Lithang Monastery, which had been converted into a detention site. After enduring several months of severe hardship and detention, I was released at the end of 1959 along with 29 other prisoners. At the time of my release, more than 1,600 political prisoners were still being held at the monastery. I was then 23 years old."