Indian Parliament on the issue of Tibet LOK SABHA DEBATES 1952 -2005 Published : 2006 ©Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre Published by : Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre H-10, 2nd Floor, Lajpat Nagar - III, New Delhi - 110024, INDIA Printed by : Vee Enn Print-O-Pac Okhla, New Delhi - 110020 [email protected] Publisher’s Note Tibetan Parliamentary & Policy Research Centre is happy to bring out the compilation of debates, discussion and questions on Tibet or issues related to Tibet in both the houses of Indian Parliament in two volumes. Through this publication, I wish to thank on behalf of the Tibetan people, the People and Government of India for their consistent sympathy, support and hospitality extended to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Refugees over the last 46 years and the hope that this will continue till we return to Tibet. Few exceptions are unavoidable. We also remain ever grateful to all the Indian Policy makers for keeping the Tibetan issue alive, which also serves India’s National Interest. We look forward to their continued support. We hope this publication will come handy to researchers as well as activists as a ready reference. We have tried our best over the last two years to compile all available materials. However there may be oversight, for which we are totally responsible and we seek your valuable input to enable us to add and improve in our future publications. We have tried to be as diligent and correct as possible to transcribe from the original sources. I wish to thank the Library of the Indian Parliament and the Nehru Memorial Library for giving us access to the materials. I wish to thank Mr. Kunsang Rigzin for compiling the materials, Mr. Thupten Rinchen for transcribing, Mr. Tenzin Dawa for transcribing the Hindi portion and Mr. Choekyong Wangchuk for proofreading and editing the texts. Penpa Tsering Executive Director Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre New Delhi FRIEDRICH-NAUMANN-STIFTUNG & THE TIBETAN PARLIAMENTARY AND POLICY RESEARCH CENTRE The Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung (FNSt) established in 1958 is a non-profit organization for public benefit. It promotes the liberal principle of Freedom in Human Dignity in all sectors of society, both nationally as well as internationally, in developed as well as developing countries. The Foundation is active in more than 75 countries. In the South Asian Region comprising the SAARC countries the Foundation’s work encompasses projects concerned with support for economic liberalisation; fostering regional economic co-operation in South Asia; promotion of civic rights; and environmental protection. All these activities are carried out in co-operation with local, national and international NGOs, the emphasis being on self-reliance and the setting up of democratic institutions. Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung in partnership with the Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies has set up the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre (TPPRC) with the purpose of strengthening the Tibetan diaspora in building up a healthy democratic working ethos. The objective is to prepare the Tibetans in exile for the assumption of responsibilities that would respond to their hopes and aspirations through a framework of legislative, executive and judicial institutions based on the concept of the Tibetan polity guided by Saddharma and with a view to generating human values and considerations based on man’s free will, equality, justice and non-violence. There is also the standing need to constantly remind the Tibetan diaspora of their national identity, culture and heritage and the global community of Tibet’s unique contribution to the world of thought and culture. Established in 1994, the Centre has already reached a very representative section of Tibetans residing in India and Nepal, encouraging them to get actively involved in their new democratic institutions and helping their leadership to formulate a vision for the future. Moreover, the Centre has a sound back-up programme of publications to disseminate information to build up national and international public opinion for the fulfillment of a just cause. 4 INDIAN PARLIMENT ON THE ISSUE OF TIBET - LOK SABHA DEBATES 15 November 1950 Written Answers to Questions CHINESE INVASION OF TIBET *43. Prof. K.T Shah: (a) Will the Prime Minister be pleased to state whether the attention of the Government of India has been drawn to Press Reports about an invasion of Tibet by the Army of the People’s Republic of China? (b) If so, what is the actual position? The Prime Minister (Shri Jawaharlal Nehru): (a) Yes, Sir. (b) On account of difficult communication, news from Tibet are meager. From information that we have obtained so far, we understand that the Chinese troops crossed the Drichu river, which is the boundary between China and Tibet, on 7th October, 1950 at a number of places. They are reported to have captured Chamdo, the capital of the Eastern Provinces of Kham and are said to be advancing towards Lhasa. 6 December 1950 Written Answers to Questions MOTION RE. : INTERNATIONAL SITUATION Shri Jawaharlal Nehru (Prime Minister): I should like to say a few words about our two other neighbouring countries, Tibet and Nepal. Some questions were asked earlier this morning in regard to the advance of the Chinese forces in Tibet. I could not give much information, nor can I give that information now. The story of Tibet so far as we are concerned in this matter is very simple. I am not going into past history. Ever since the People’s Government of China talked about Tibet and about liberation of Tibet, our Ambassador- acting on our behalf- told them how we felt about it. We told them that we earnestly hope that this matter would be settled peacefully by China and Tibet. We told them that we had no territorial or political ambitions in regard to Tibet. We had trade and cultural relations, which naturally we would like to preserve, and they came in the way of nobody, neither Tibet nor China. We were interested in Tibet maintaining her autonomy which she had had for the last forty or fifty years at least. We did not challenge or deny the suzerainty of China over Tibet. But, we did lay considerable stress on the autonomy of Tibet. So, we pointed out all these in a friendly way to the Chinese Government and in their replies, they always said that they would very much like to settle this peacefully but in any event they were going to liberate Tibet. It is not quite clear from whom they were going to liberate it. However, their replies made us to understand that a peaceful solution would be found, though I must say that they gave no assurance or guarantee about it to us. They always put the two together: “We are prepared for a peaceful solution; but anyhow we are going to liberate”. So that, when we heard about their armies marching into Tibet, it did come as a surprise to us and a shock. We had come to believe that the matter will be settled by peaceful negotiations. And indeed, one can hardly talk about war between China and Tibet. Tibet is not in a position to carry on a war. There is no threat from Tibet to China, obviously. They say, there might be foreign intrigues in Tibet which I do not know. Anyhow, there was no immediate threat. Violence might perhaps be justified in the modern world but naturally, one should not indulge in violence unless there is no other way. Well, there was a way in Tibet as we had pointed out. So it was a surprise. The House knows and has seen the correspondence that was exchanged between the Chinese Government and our Government. Even so, we have gone on pressing them that it would be desirable to halt their advance and settle the matter peacefully with Tibetan representatives. As a matter of fact, there can be no doubt that for the last several weeks the main advance has been halted. But I cannot definitely say what they intend to do or whether some small groups have not gone in various directions or advanced in various directions. So far as we know, towards Lhasa there has been no advance and conditions in Lhasa at present are still normal. That, of course, does not solve the problem. All I can say is that I earnestly hope that even now, the Government of China will try to settle the matter peacefully. Prof. Ranga (Madras): As the Foreign Minister was developing his subject this morning, I began to wonder what his conception could possibly be in regard to the strategic importance of the things that are happening all around us. Could he be indifferent to the gathering clouds of threats of insecurity to our own safety in our own country, to our much- prized liberties and freedom - threats which are all around us, especially in the north and north-east sides of our INDIAN PARLIMENT ON THE ISSUE OF TIBET - LOK SABHA DEBATES 5 country and our borders? It is very easy indeed for us to grow sentimental as well as eloquent whenever anything concerning Asia is mentioned to us. But can we be indifferent to the change that has been coming over the minds of large numbers of the leaders who are today in charge of great masses of geographical areas of the world, especially in the East? Can we be quite so confident that the China that we talk about is the same today as it used to be ten years ago, one hundred years ago, two thousand years ago when Lord Buddha’s teachings were being carried to China through our missionaries? Chinese people, we have all great respect for them; Chinese people, we like to love them.