I visited Tibet in 1996. I was commissioned to document the making of the film "The Saltmen of Tibet"; but the Chinese authorities stopped the project at the last moment and I found myself on my own with two months' time on hand . I decided to concentrate my work on three projects: the Nomands of the Namtso region, the monks' life in a few selected monasteries and Lhasa in the Chinese grip.

Moving freely in Tibet is not an easy undertaking. Travel permits are not granted to individual travellers; they are confined to Lhasa and its close surroundings. The lorry drivers who stopped for me on my various treks, did so at the risk of losing their license. They still did it knowing that they were offering a lift to someone who felt sympathy for their occupied country. I felt very much at ease with Tibetans of all kinds. The monks were willing to show me everything and let me take part in their daily rituals. The nomads offered me shelter and spared me the bitterly cold nights. Pilgrims often invited me to sit with them for a while even though they knew I couldn't communicate with them verbally. They all gave me a lesson in humility and let me feel my helplessness in knowing I could do nothing to alleviate their burden of oppression. I felt shame for our part of the world and our politicians who have dismissed the Tibetan question from their agenda and do their best to remain on good terms with business promising China.