By Khushwant Singh
DHARAMSALA: Till a couple of years back in Mcleodganj, one could find proud notices in front of shops: ‘No made in China goods sold here’.
It was as if Chinese goods were taboo, not expressly, but by choice exercised by the Tibetan community living here in exile since 1959.
Call it complacency or consumerism, but these days ‘Made in China’ goods have invaded markets here, even finding a place in shops owned by refugees.
“Yes, we sell China-made products in our shop. Tibetans hate anything that is Chinese, but there is no express ban. We source our products though agents in Delhi,” said a refugee shop-owner.
This is a big change from the time shops in the main market used to sell stickers and other products that said: “No to Made in China”.
In the 1980s and 90s, Tibetans here and other settlements across India, Europe, US and Canada burnt Chinese made goods.
In May 1993, Tibetan religious leader Dalai Lama said, “I back the call for the boycott of goods made in China.”
Other leaders had also been giving statements against ‘Made in China’ goods till recently saying that these products came from an oppressive regime.
The change, according to a Tibetan leader, may be because of the present dialogue between the exiled government and the Chinese authorities.
“The Dalai Lama has asked Tibetans not to do anything anti-China that would jeopardise the talks process,” he adds.
Tenzin Tsundue, general secretary of Friends of Tibet, that supports the cause of Tibetan independence, says the exiled Tibetan population has become complacent.
“It had nothing to do with the present dialogue,” he said.
