US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Sarah Sewall making her remarks on Dhondup Wangchen at the State Department on December 11, 2014. Photo: VOA Tibetan

US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Sarah Sewall making her remarks on Dhondup Wangchen at the State Department on December 11, 2014. Photo: VOA Tibetan

The United States has reiterated a call to enable Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen to reunite with his family. In her opening remarks at a screening of Dhondup’s documentary, Leaving Fear Behind, on December 11, 2014, Under Secretary of State and Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Sarah Sewall made the call when talking about the film. She said the documentary “provides a candid look into the political views of ordinary Tibetans” and talked about his subsequent six year imprisonment and release.

Dhondup Wangchen’s wife, Lhamo Tso, addressed the gathering via Skype from California. She said, “I want to convey my greetings and express heartfelt thanks to all of you for joining the screening of my husband, Dhondup Wangchen’s film here at the US state department. I am deeply grateful to the US State Department for their interest in his case and today, for hosting this film screening here at the Department. Our family was overjoyed when Dhondup was released from prison earlier this year at the completion of his six year sentence. It was a day of unbelievable joy for his parents, our children and myself.

“Today, I can tell you clearly that Dhondup has only one thing on his mind and that is to be reunited with his family – his two elderly parents, our four children and myself. On the family’s side, all we can think of, day and night, is being reunited with each other.

“Secondly, my husband’s health is not good. I am told that altogether he has 11 different health issues and it is our greatest wish to have him join us here and get the medical treatment that he is critically in need of. We remain hopeful that he will be allowed to join us and we will be reunited as a family very soon.”

Dhondup Wangchen was arrested in 2008. ICT has been advocating his case at the UN, the US and European Governments since then. In June the Chinese authorities released him following the completion of his sentence, but he has been unable to travel out of China.