India Tibet Coordination Office in association with the History Society of St. Stephen’s College organised a talk on “Tibet in International Relation: A Historical Overview” at St. Stephen College, Seminar room on Saturday, 16 September 2006. With the initiative of Mr. Jigme, Student of History Department, St. Stephen College, Delhi.
Guest speaker Mr. Tempa Tsering, Representative of H.H the Dalai Lama in New Delhi spoke on the Historical overview of Tibet. He begin with introducing Tibet by its geographical presence at the heart of Asia, which is the major source of rivers in Asia and its environmental importance to the subcontinent and world at large.
He presented the brief outline of Tibet History, by commencing from the 7th Century King Songtsen Gampo and its alliance marriage to Chinese and Nepalese princess and nullifying the Chinese claim of Tibet as their part due to King’s marriage to the Chinese princess. If it’s so then Nepal can have grounds to claim Tibet as part of Nepal too.
He accepted that Tibet had been under the influence of the neighboring countries. But at certain period of time every nation was under influence of other countries.
Mr. Tsering categorically defined Tibet as a nation, which fulfills the theoretical definition of state before Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959. It has got set of government that posses the authority to make the rules that govern the people and having internal and external sovereignty over a definitive territory. Tibet has got its own armed force, bureaucrats, court and police.
He further dwelt that Tibet had a treaty with its neighboring countries and enters into international engagements.
He concludes that with the occupation of Tibet, Chinese has destroyed the fragile environment of Tibet, which has huge ramification to its neighboring countries by polluting the water and environment of Tibet. He also caution India on the military build-up in the northern border and the large-scale project to divert the major river of Tibet.
In the end he requested the student to do in depth study of Tibet by further reading after his brief introduction of Tibet.
After the talk student had an extensive and intensive interaction with the guest speaker. Students raised question on issue of Tibet ranging from history of Tibet to recent railway to Tibet.
