Interaction with Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of Tibetan Government in Exile
China has territorial disputes with 17 countries. Taiwan,
the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, North Korea,
Singapore, Brunei, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar. Tibet is a wholly
occupied region. Scholars and historians have documented that Tibet was never a
part of China. And when China insists on One China Policy, which is based on
the principle of reciprocity with other nations, it works under the pretext
that a lie told hundred times becomes the truth. The Chinese narrative is so
strong that the Tibetan narrative lags behind. A free wheeling talk with
President of Tibetan Government in Exile Sikyong Penpa Tsering was a date with
reality check on Tibet. Does the world know what is China doing in Tibet, how
is it doing it and what is the condition of Tibetans, their culture, their
identity and their rights! Tibet or Mongolia are not talked about much as are
Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xingjian (Uighers) or South China Sea which indirectly lends
credence to Chinese occupation of Tibet since 1951. Tibetans have been
expressing themselves at various forums for their rights but who cares.
According to Penpa Tsering after the visit of Xi in May 2020
there has been an increased intensification in terms of control. Called the
Grid Lock system by Tibetans, the Chinese have increased surveillance of all
kinds, including electronic, on Tibetans living both inside and outside Tibet.
All Tibetans, wherever in the world are under Chinese scanner to the extent of
threats to their kin in Tibet for their behaviour outside. There is a palpable
fear of Tibetans meeting the same fate as that of Uighurs and Hong Kong
citizens, says Tsering. Tibetan language being the first casualty, Tibetan
culture is being destroyed slowly. Chinese is being taught from the kindergarten
level to Tibetan children which ensures that without knowing manderin there can
be no jobs for them. Chinese is the official language in this Himalayan region.
Surveillance and Control
‘We are dying a slow death. Genocide in whatever form,
whatever speed, we are dying slowly,’ mourns Penpa Tsering. Number of nuns and monks have drastically
decreased and the ones that are staying put are watched. In terms of religion
there is a lot of surveillance by Public Security Bureau and from Intelligence
Department. China is exercising control of the curriculum and religion too be
it Buddhism, Christianity or any other religions. Pictures of His Holiness are
banned in the Tibet Autonomous Region by China. Students and Communist Party
cadres are not allowed to visit monasteries. To travel to Tibet Autonomous
Region one needs at least five different permissions. Tibet is going through a
lot of social and democratic change.
Chinese and the Lamas’
The issue of Lamas and their reincarnation which is a
religious issue for Tibetans is what Chinese do not want to be easy on. Penpa
Tsering rues that it was for the Chinese indulgence that Penchem Lama was
abdicated and if rumours are to be believed he was killed which went without a
post mortem. They say they are willing to talk to Dalai Lama but not on Tibet.
The Chinese use it as a facade for their domestic audience, is what Penpa
asserts.
The Middle Way
The Government in Exile has restructured a Task Force of
Tibet Dialogue which is called the
Permanent Strategic Committee to talk to the Chinese government and work out a
“middle way”. Compromise and surrender is the only way out as Sikyong
says, ‘we are not asking for total independence as we are well aware that the
world will not be on our side in our claim for independence against China and
we cannot fight a lone battle against the dragon.’ As for India the govt of
Autonomous Region of Tibet is in constant touch with the Indian government
seeking support for their cause.
What about India!
Ironically the number of Tibetans visiting India has
decreased dramatically to 5 from 2000-3000 in 2008, of which 2 are students.
The TAR government keeps in touch with the Government of India at the top
level. Without mincing words Tsering says, ‘without India we wouldn’t have
survived. Dharamshala would not have been what it is now. So for our
communities.’ He admits that response from Indian govt is very cooperative and
that they seek advice from the Indian govt. ‘Often times I bow down to the
wishes of the Indian govt’.
Chinese control over the borders has seen drastically
reduced number of students coming from Tibet to India. From 20,000 students in
2012, the numbers have come down to 9700 in 2021. ‘My Pet Project’, a study by
Tibetans registers the number of Tibetans in india, Nepal, Bhutan and in the
West.
Chinese villages on the border
With China buliding villages along the Indian territory what
is Tibets stand? According to Sikyong, by pushing more Tibetans at the borders
they bring in more Chinese citizens into the cities and towns making up for
money. Any height above 12000-13000 metres above sea level is not possible for
the Chinese people to go and settle down which is possibly the reason that
Tibetans are being pushed to the borders by China to occupy land and make
villages.
Threatening Taiwan, brazenly occupying Indian territory,
going against UNCLOS, killing dissent in Hong Kong and torturing Uighers may
have a reason. Sikyong says I sense a lot of insecurity in the Chinese leadership
as they are the only country who spends more money on internal security then
external security. China’s expansionist aspirations is changing the world
order.
Tibet is China’s Achilles Heel and New Delhi’s response will
be watched.
