VIDEOS
PUTTING DOWN THE REBELLION
MARCH 10TH MEMORIAL presents Putting Down The Rebellion in Tibet (1959) a documentary produced by the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China” (Zhōnggòng Xuānchuánbù).
The CPC propaganda department (its actually name then) began work on this documentary film (29:45 min) immediately after the Uprising was crushed in Lhasa. Many of the actions scenes: the PLA attack on Chakpori, the surrender of Tibetan soldiers and volunteers etc., were reenactments, according to eyewitness sources. The footage of the Women’s procession and the Lhasa police and soldiers marching, were taken during and possibly prior to the events of March 1959.
This documentary was released in Chinese, Tibetan, English, Russian etc., in the late summer of ’59. Its propaganda value was immense and it was released internationally. The Tibetan language version, Zingdruk Lhingchak, was publically screened all over Tibet, even in prisons and labor-camps. In spite of its propaganda misrepresentations this documentary film is the only cinematic record we have of the March Uprising, and is necessary viewing for all Tibetans.
I would like to thank the film-maker Lisa Cathy for first directing my attention to this important film.