James Kerr

I live and work in Dorset and have been interested in photography from an early age. The photo is of Tibetan refugees on the Nangpa La pass 5716m (for reference the summit of Mt Blanc is 4807m), located on the border between Tibet and Nepal, 12 miles west of Everest. It has been used as a trade route for centuries. The refugees are fleeing their homeland to the safety of Nepal where they then continued their overland journey to India to join the several thousand Tibetan exiles who have settled in Dharamsala. On September 30th 2006, two weeks after this photo was taken, a very similar caravan of refugees with their yaks were making the crossing. However, on this occasion Chinese border guards opened fire without warning and killed Kelsang Namtso, a 17-year-old Buddhist nun along with injuring others in the party. The shocking events would have gone completely untold had it not taken place right in front of a large community of foreign climbers who were at advanced base camp on the nearby mountain Cho Oyu 8201m I hope that by exhibiting at Art In Poundbury a little more light is shed on what took place in this remote and beautiful part of the world. If you would like to know more on the story: Book: Murder in the High Himalaya by Jonathan Green Documentary: You Tube – Murder In The Snow Wikipedia: Nangpa La Shooting