India’s former Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane (retd) has on Aug 16 rubbished China’s assertion that Tibet has been a sovereign subject of it since ancient times, calling it “incorrect and an attempt to rewrite history”. He has made the remark at the inaugural event of the four-day, 6th International Rangzen Conference 2023 which opened at the India International Centre, New Delhi, that day.

He has said Tibetans world over had a legitimate right to return to the land of their forefathers and experience their culture and traditions.

He has recalled with fondness the long history of geniality that had prevailed between Tibet and India, until China invaded and occupied the Himalayan territory.

“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 free movement of trade and people, but also the flow of the finest thoughts of human civilization,” theprint.in Aug 16 quoted Naravane as saying.

He has said the Panchsheel Agreement — a treaty of five principles of coexistence signed by India and China in 1954 — especially the mutual non-interference clause, had resulted in an ambivalent policy over the Chinese occupation 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.”

The former Indian Army chief has suggested a two-pronged approach — “vertical integration” and ‘horizontal stretch’ — for helping the Tibetan cause. “Vertical integration, he has said, entailed elevating these issues globally through multiple platforms, including the United Nations by engaging thought leaders and think tanks.

And “horizontal stretch”, he has said, involved uniting people worldwide to sustain the momentum of the movement. “This approach should focus on creating a collective voice across the borders, ensuring that the Rangzen movement remains dynamic and impactful.”