Couple of days back when Tibet was in turmoil I sent out certain facts to my friends about the Chinese atrocities on the Tibetans. In reply to that I received a whole lot of typical mail bashing from hoards of Indians questioning my motives- ---

 
What is your interest in Tibet? How do you know what is the truth? Both parties are doing false propaganda and you want us Indians to believe in that? Tibetans should be thankful that they got shelter in India, why should we support them when they create problems in our foreign policy? Have you rectified the wrongs around your own house and colony to start with? If you feel so strongly about it, do go to Tibet and work with the people there? If you cant get a visa, take the land route and go illegally. Are you willing to give up your own life to help the Tibetans? Let’s not take sides on any issues without knowing the entire story.

 
All of it underlined one statement As Indians Tibet is not our cause

 
It brought back many experiences, answers to the above questions and more questions. Are we Indians so selfish to the core? 

 Is it true that -- The problem with Indians is that they are forever fighting 'who will bell the cat".... If they see someone getting killed on the road they won't help.. because they will think "what can I do? I am not that strong.... can I fight them? They will kill me...?  

In that cowardice they even forget to raise their voice to raise an alarm... maybe raising an alarm could save the man dying on the road.

 Is it true that -- we as a people have forgotten our 200 yrs of history?

 WE all feel that freedom is the right of any human being on this earth. But if we had to fight for another man’s freedom we will squirm, and doubt his credibility and try to save our skin.

 
That brings me to the above question

 
What is my interest in Tibet….

 Because – I have gone thru the same history in my own country

Tibet is no longer a war of a certain sect, tribe, region or country... it is a war of the people throughout the world... if it wasn't, then why the common man the world over, would stand up against China? What have they got to gain? You may say people have their motives... But for us maybe the motive is that we cannot sit quietly in our homes and offices and discuss at coffee tables when we see our neighbours unhappy. Because we know that it could be our turn next.

 
Yeah I know people have different views about China and Tibet. I am closely associated with some people who have actually left their homes, jobs, and are living in penury and working for Tibet. They are all Bengalis, south Indians, Marathis... Punjabis, Gujaratis, Biharis... but in the core they are individual Indians and really have no business in Tibet... neither do they have any interest in China. But they do have interest in Human rights and we are all fighting in our own little ways... some are fighting on the road.. some are stationed in Dharamshala and generating moral, medical support and some are helping in millions of other ways... like facing the media... creating awareness etc.

 
A war for freedom is not necessarily always fought by the foot soldier... there are many people behind it. Not everybody can shout slogans and get jailed... but we can create awareness and show solidarity.... But for that are we ready to make some sacrifice.

 
Like today Baichung Bhutia has sacrificed, his ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to hold the Olympic torch. Instead he didn’t sacrifice his ideals and his conscience. 

But what will I get by telling people all this?

 
Because – Public opining matters

 Propaganda is a tool used by Chinese not just to fool the world but also their own people. That is why they restrict the foreign media from covering the truth whenever there is an uprising.

 
Last time I went to Dharamshala I saw Chinese tourists grilling my Tibetan friends

 
Are you happy in India? Are you safe? Do they give you jobs and enough food to eat? Are your children going to school? What about your temples? Do they let you pray freely? Do the Indians behave well with you? Do they respect your culture and religion?

 
My friend laughed and told them… “Don’t worry we are safe and well fed and happy in India, but still this is not our home… we are only guests here, forced to overstay.”

 
So if propaganda does form an opinion then why can’t we create a wider propaganda? All the Tibetan propaganda that we read was from real people’s real experience... as narrated after they escaped from Tibet.... and some data provided by His Holiness --- whose credibility I wouldn't doubt.... and the rest is up on the world media for everybody to see...

 Who is right in their claim. China or Tibet?

 
If the Chinese claim holds any truth then on the same lines the British can come tomorrow and claim that "We did so much development for India and it is still underdeveloped so we have all the right to reclaim India back..." Can we allow that?

 
Or for that matter.. India can claim that since 60 yrs back Pakistan and Bangladesh were our integral part, and even in 60 yrs they haven't gone anywhere so it is our business to reclaim both these countries and teach them Sanskrit and Jana gana mana and send them away as refugees and take their land to become a superpower in Asia. How much ever we hate the Pakistanis or Bangladeshis we will still do not want to uproot them from their motherland.

 Today China is claiming it is their internal matter and no one should poke into that. Some years back it was Tibet's internal matter and China did poke its nose into that. In history Tibet was always a free kingdom... just as Kashmir was in India. Can we let Pakistan claim Kashmir?

 We still honour the Indian map as undivided as it was 30 yrs ago. DO you see any Indian map in print in any book, site or magazine or schoolbook throughout India --- without the POK and AKSAI CHIN. Have we been able to accept that those portions are no longer with us?

 The fight for human rights is beyond borders....and is not specific to any race.... there are many individuals...You, me...some guy out there ...who are fighting alone.....but it takes all the I's to get together into a WE to make a revolution.

 What is the truth?

 Truth is really a subjective matter....
 

• The Chinese truth is that "the Tibetans are poor and we need to uplift them by force and oppression and illegal occupation.”
• The Tibetan truth is that "even if we are poor, we want to be left alone and follow our own religious and cultural life peacefully"

 The Humane truth is that if a man in the jungle however poor he is... if he is living in peace and wants to live that way... we have no right to capture him, clothe him in silks and feed him cake and gloat over our grand deed of uplifting him. He is living his life... and we can only help him... if he asks for it....

That is why we have Jarawa regions in Andaman and Nicobar islands inaccessible to urban people....

 Every human being has his right to live in peace the way he likes it... in his society... if he is not harming anybody.... and in India every refugee has the same rights as any Indian, except for the right to vote.

 
And who actually knows the entire story?

If you meet the Tibetans who have just crossed over the borders after prolonged torture.. Hear the truth from them..... the truth is really sad.  Just once try to place yourself in place of a poor Tibetan farmer with no means .. no riches....but very small children

• Think, if you had to walk for days... and miles and miles in --40 temperature... over the highest passes of Himalayas.....with only some bread to eat.... hiding your 6 yr old boy from the Chinese troops to sneak into India.... for a free and safe life....
• Some lose their fingers and toes to frostbite...just to escape into India....
• Some babies just arrive without their parents... cause they died on the way... and these orphans are teeming in Dharamshala......
• Some parents just hide their children in the caravans coming to India... never ever hoping to see them in this life....
• Some come here to leave their children in Ladakh only to go back and get killed because of extensive beating by the army.
• Just think are those extremely poor people mad... that they come to India...in insufficient clothing...... some dying on the way in the cold..

If everything were fine in Lhasa, why would they come here like that? What does a poor man want but a square meal and some religious freedom... Then what is forcing these poor people to escape? If they got what they wanted then why are they revolting....? especially a race famous for its peace loving nature...why does it lose its head? If their life is free, happy and safe in Lhasa then why is this yearly exodus to India where their life is worse?