Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane stated on Wednesday that Tibetans all over the world have a legal right to go back to the country of their ancestors and enjoy their culture and customs, underscoring the fight for Tibet's independence from China. 

He was speaking at the 6th International Rangzen (Independence) Conference at the India International Centre (IIC) in Delhi. The Tibetan Parliament in Exile's Geshe Lharampa Bawa Lobsang Pende and renowned Uyghur freedom fighter Umit Hamit were present at the conference.

According to Gen. Naravane, there are 60 lakh Tibetans in Tibet while 1,40,000 are in exile, of which 1,00,000 are in India. “This is an exceptional pool of latent power that needs to be harnessed,” he said.

He further added, “It is indeed a historical fact that Tibet has been, and is, the rightful neighbour of India and that the common border was open and peaceful, allowing not only the free movement of trade and people but also the flow of the finest thoughts of human civilization.”

The Panchsheel Agreement, a 1954 agreement between India and China outlining five principles for peaceful coexistence, namely the mutual non-interference clause, according to the former Army chief, has led to an ambivalent approach to China's colonization of Tibet.

“Over the decades, China has fully occupied Tibet and made territorial and administrative changes that would transform the identity and culture of the Tibetans.” 

Gen. Naravane continued by claiming that the most recent white paper issued by China asserts that Tibet has been a part of China from antiquity, or from the 7th century AD onwards, which is "incorrect and an attempt to rewrite history".

He suggested a two-pronged approach — ‘vertical integration’ and ‘horizontal stretch’ — that should be taken to help the Tibetan cause. When describing the "vertical integration" strategy, he explained that it would involve bringing these challenges to the attention of the world's governments on a variety of venues, such as the United Nations, by involving think tanks and thought leaders.

In order to maintain the momentum of the movement, he claimed that a "horizontal stretch" entails bringing people together on a global scale. “This approach should focus on creating a collective voice across the borders, ensuring that the Rangzen movement remains dynamic and impactful.”

Throughout the presentation, he repeatedly addressed China and contrasted its strategy with that of India. He said, “Even though China has grown in strength, strength comes with its vulnerabilities. China operates with centricity of coercion and fear whereas India with centricity of cooperation and trust.”

Chinese irredentism, he continued, has been concentrated on places like Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, and even Mongolia. “It is also wise to recognize China’s Grey Zone actions which involve kinetic and non-kinetic forms of assertiveness, by resorting to selective historical referencing, cartographic manipulation, and lawfare by leveraging its cyber and information domain capabilities.”

Speaking about China's construction of 'Xiaokang' (moderately prosperous) villages in disputed territories, Gen. Naravane said that the Land Border Law's announcement and the coercive exploitation of nations in the region highlight the need for a thorough investigation and forceful response.

He suggested that “to effectively counter” these actions, a coordinated approach involving “diplomatic, legal and international mechanisms is essential”. He continued by saying that a new Indo-Pacific architecture was required in order for the South Asian nations, especially the financial centres of Hong Kong and Taiwan, to exert control over China's predominance.

He continued by stating that key states today appear ready to confront China and that the US-China conflict is escalating every day. “India today has emerged as a significant player at the global stage and will resolutely oppose Chinese attempts to unilaterally change the ‘status quo’. Post the Galwan incident, India has intensified the efforts to develop border infrastructure and rebalanced its military to thwart any nefarious Chinese designs,” he added.

According to Gen. Naravane, the 2008 protests in Beijing before the Olympics "exposed the Chinese propaganda of projecting a false image of prosperity and freedom in Tibet". “It brought to the fore the courage and determination of Tibetans, and is indicative of the latent power of the people of Tibet.”

He added that the Chinese propaganda of development lay exposed, and the truth of repression was apparent. He continued by saying that despite decades of Chinese suppression, these protests showed the world that the Tibet issue was still relevant.

The former Army chief also called Tibet an ecological buffer as it relates to ecological security. 

Image source: ANI