At the same time, Tsering wants the Indian government to have a structured policy for Tibetans living on the frontline in the Himalayas. He wants them to be settled in the empty stretches in the far-flung areas, which he says can help detect and prevent PLA intrusions like the one that happened in the Galwan valley.
Speaking exclusively to THE WEEK, Tsering, who was born and raised in a Tibetan settlement in Bylakuppe in Karnataka, said his first task as sikyong was to restart the Sino-Tibetan dialogue.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q/ How true are the reports about China inducting Tibetans into the PLA to fight the Indian Army on the Himalayas?
A/ First of all, [China needs to] trust the Tibetans to put weapons in their hands. If there is no trust, they can also fight back. I know of earlier attempts to recruit people from the Qinghai province to serve in the military in East Turkestan (Xinjiang). But I don’t trust the Chinese to recruit Tibetans to their army and send them to the Indian border, because Tibetans have too much respect for India.
India is the land of Aryabhata and we have a guru-chela (teacher-disciple) relationship. Tibetans feel they are an extension of Indian culture. It is only the food and clothing that come from China; the inner peace and spirit is derived from India.
So, I believe it is Chinese propaganda. As the Special Frontier Force (SFF, consisting of Tibetan soldiers) is on the Indian side, the Chinese are trying to send a message that Tibetans will be fighting each other, which is absolutely false.
Q/ How do you see the role of Tibetans as the first line of defence on the border?
Esta historia es de la edición December 19, 2021 de THE WEEK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 19, 2021 de THE WEEK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
