Vijay Kranti
ROBERT Ford (1923-2013) was the only radio operator of the Tibetan Government and the only foreigner living permanently in Tibet when China’s PLA attacked and occupied a big part of Eastern Tibet. Ford told Jamyang about his discussions with General Karchung of Tibetan army who faced first attack of the PLA on October 7, 1950 at Riwoche and later he was in Chinese captivity along with Ford.
Quoting from his long interviews with Ford, Jamyang points out that there was only one radio receiver at Tibetan Government’s command when PLA entered Tibet. If Tibetan army had one more radio at Riwoche and another at Markham then the history of Tibet would have been different as Tibetan army would have got enough time to plan and fight back. He quotes Ford saying, “In just, possibly, a week or so, the many high passes in that region would have become snowbound………… Chinese would have had to force their pack animals and porters through the many snowbound passes to Chamdo, and that would unquestionably have led to a disaster (for PLA)….”
Pointing out at Tibetan people’s lack of experience in fighting a regular war with an organised army like PLA, Ford says, “….When (Tibetan people’s) troops went to the front line, they took their families with them. With (General) Muja’s men came as many women and children, with all their household good and personal belongings piled up on yaks and mules….”
‘Chu-Shi-Gangdruk’
A good part of the book is dedicated to the ‘Chu-Shi-Gangdruk’ (meaning ‘Four Rivers Six Ranges’ in Tibetan) which was a volunteer guerrilla force lead by legendry Andrug Gompo Tashi, the most fearsome, brave and highly revered fighter of modern Tibetan history. The book tells the force’s story right from its formation as a volunteer army and later its adoption by American secret service CIA for training at Colorado’s secret Camp-Hale and subsequent armed operations inside Tibet. Unfortunately the US and CIA’s support lasted only until the US Government started its honeymoon with Mao’s China in 1970s.
The CIA’s sudden decision to pull out its hands from under the guerrilla force and leaving it helpless and unprotected only to be massacred ruthlessly by the Nepal’s Royal Nepal Army and the Chinese PLA in mid 1970s. Jamyang has also given details from many of CIA’s American trainers and the coordinators who were involved in training the Tibetans in handling arms and ammunition, running battery-less transmitters, secret coding of wireless messages and air-dropping of arms and paratroopers deep inside Tibet.
Resolve for freedom
It is sad that the armed struggle of helpless and friendless Tibetan people failed to match Chinese power machine over past seven decades. Beijing’s ongoing aggressive campaign of settling millions of new Han citizens from China across Tibet and stationing a massive machine of China’s Army, policemen, informers and a sophisticated digital surveillance system has left no space for an armed resistance inside today’s Tibet.
But the unending wave of self-immolation by Tibetan people which has seen over 150 young men and women, monks and nuns making the supreme sacrifice over recent years is a clear and bold statement. It is an unambiguous indication of Tibet and Tibetans’ resolve for freedom and a clear expression of their refusal to accept China’s rule and dominance over their country. Jamyang Norbu’s book is a testimony to the fighting spirit of Tibetan people against the colonial rule of China.
