SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – CELEBRATION OF LIFE – TRIBUTE TO DR ALBERT SCHWEITZER

On January 14, 2018 I pay my humble tribute to Dr. Albert Schweitzer who promoted the ideal of treating life with respect. To describe Man as Spiritual Being I give attention to both Biology and Medical Science to arrive at correct understanding of Real or True Man. The term ‘Spirit’ has to be defined as vital principle found in all living things and hence Science has to account for Spirit using Science called Anatomy that describes structures and Physiology that describes functions performed by anatomical structures such as cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
BHAVANAJAGAT.ORG

ALBERT SCHWEITZER BORN – JANUARY 14, 1875

Clipped from: Albert Schweitzer born – Jan 14, 1875 – HISTORY.com

Albert Schweitzer born – Jan 14, 1875 – HISTORY.com On this day in History, Albert Schweitzer born on Jan 14, 1875. Learn more about what happened today on History.

The theologian, musician, philosopher and Nobel Prize-winning physician Albert Schweitzer is born on this day in 1875 in Upper-Alsace, Germany (now Haut-Rhin, France).

The son and grandson of ministers, Schweitzer studied theology and philosophy at the universities of Strasbourg, Paris and Berlin. After working as a pastor, he entered medical school in 1905 with the dream of becoming a missionary in Africa. Schweitzer was also an acclaimed concert organist who played professional engagements to earn money for his education. By the time he received his M.D. in 1913, the overachieving Schweitzer had published several books, including the influential The Quest for the Historical Jesus and a book on the composer Johann Sebastian Bach.
Medical degree in hand, Schweitzer and his wife, Helene Bresslau, moved to French Equatorial Africa where he founded a hospital at Lambarene (modern-day Gabon). When World War I broke out, the German-born Schweitzers were sent to a French internment camp as prisoners of war. Released in 1918, they returned to Lambarene in 1924. Over the next three decades, Schweitzer made frequent visits to Europe to lecture on culture and ethics. His philosophy revolved around the concept of what he called “reverence for life”–the idea that all life must be respected and loved, and that humans should enter into a personal, spiritual relationship with the universe and all its creations. This reverence for life, according to Schweitzer, would naturally lead humans to live a life of service to others.
Schweitzer won widespread praise for putting his uplifting theory into practice at his hospital in Africa, where he treated many patients with leprosy and the dreaded African sleeping sickness. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1952, Schweitzer used his $33,000 award to start a leprosarium at Lambarene. From the early 1950s until his death in 1965, Schweitzer spoke and wrote tirelessly about his opposition to nuclear tests and nuclear weapons, adding his voice to those of fellow Nobelists Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell.

MAKAR SANKRANTI, SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018 – ETERNAL LAW OF AGING

Man’s journey on Earth’s surface is measured by duration of Sun’s apparent motions across sky which is experienced as Day and Night while in reality Sun shines all the time without performing movements characterized as Sunrise and Sunset. Man blissfully exists without ever experiencing true motions of Sun around Milky Way Galactic Center.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada

BHAVANAJAGAT.ORG

Clipped from: https://bhavanajagat.com/2017/01/14/makar-sankranti-saturday-january-14-2017-perception-of-changing-seasons/

MAKAR SANKRANTI, SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018 – PERCEPTION OF CHANGING SEASONS

Whole Concept – The Perception of Time and Unchanging Reality: Happy Makara Sankranti to all of my readers. Indians observe and Celebrate the Movement of Sun across the Celestial Sphere. Human Existence is conditioned by Illusion; the Apparent Motions of Sun and not Real Motions of Sun influence Experience of Life on Earth.

UNDERSTANDING TIME AND THE CONCEPT OF UNCHANGING REALITY :

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018.Earth’s Rotational Spin provides experience of Time by causing changes in the environment which Man perceives as Day and Night. This cyclical change of alternating periods of Light and Darkness is synchronized with Man’s Biological Rhythms.

Time is defined as the period or interval between two events or during which something exists, happens, or acts; the duration is a measurable interval. Indian thinkers have described ‘Time’ or ‘KAALA’ as a Power or a Force that is eternal suggesting that ‘Time’ existed before the formation of this created universe, Time operates during the existence of this created universe, and Time remains after the total dissolution of this created universe. ‘Things in Nature change with Time’. Does Time exert a force entirely of its own to change things in Nature? If Time is viewed as a Power or Force, who controls this Force and what are the Laws that operate this Force ?

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018.The Subjective Reality of Man’s physical existence is operated by the Biological Clock which may have a plan for Man’s Dissolution.

Everything that is born, everything that has come into existence, and everything that is conditioned arrives with its own plan for dissolution. Whosoever had arrived on this planet Earth, is sure to depart. Time operates this plan for dissolution. Time has the power to cause dissolution of the animate as well as the inanimate world and the physical universe. Whatever qualities, or attributes such as material wealth, social status, social position, and physical state of well-being that man cherishes and desires most would be dissolved and would be rendered useless by the effects of Time. Humans lack the material, and the biological abilities to transform their physical beings into sources of perpetual enjoyment. Time with its Power of Dissolution would eventually compel us to investigate and to explore the concept of Absolute and Unchanging Reality. This Subjective Reality of Man’s existence on this planet Earth which is a member of the Solar System would be dissolved by the influence of Time. Dissolution of Sun and the Solar System would not lead to dissolution of this universe that we currently know and understand. Even when man is dissolved, the conditioned reality of this physical universe will continue and remains as before as Earth and Sun do not describe the total reality of this conditioned universe.

THE PERCEPTION OF CHANGE AND HUMAN CONCEPTS ABOUT TIME:

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018.The Moving Train and the Perception of changing landscape. Photo Credit:Indyeahforever.

Many of you who learned Physics understand the term Speed and Velocity. A person riding in a train or any other moving object could perceive a change that is caused by the motion. The nature of this perception depends upon the Speed or Velocity of that moving object. If the person jumps out of the train, the change that he has been perceiving immediately stops. There would be no changing landscape. As the speed of train increases, perception of change also alters and at very high speeds man actually loses the ability of visual perception. The visual image becomes a blur. If man is viewing a Motion Picture, his visual ability to view the Picture could be destroyed by simply increasing the speed of the Projector. Any given point on the surface of the Earth moves with the Speed of the Earth. Earth is moving at a great speed and man has no ability to perceive this motion or the speed. Man perceives a change in his environment and calls it day and night. We run our lives by numbers on clocks and calendars. The clocks and calendars create the illusion that we live in a world of mathematically measured segments of time. Time is looked upon as a flow like a river. Sir Isaac Newton(1687) stated that the flow of Time is absolute; “It flows equably without relation to anything external.” In 1905 while postulating the Theory of Relativity, Albert Einstein had observed that Time is not absolute and measurement of Time is affected by the motion of the observer. The Relativity of Time becomes significant only at great speeds. Gravity affects both Light and Time. Gravity bends both Space and Light. Time is affected by the gravitational field of each celestial body. Time is unique to any one spot in the universe. If you and me do not exist at the same spot in the universe, our experience of Time remains conditioned by the place or position of that particular spot in the universe. Thus, experience of Time on this planet is an illusionary experience and is not an absolute experience.

‘KAALA CHAKRA’ OR THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME :

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018.The Cyclical Flow of Time brings Cyclical Changes called ‘Seasons’ at expected Time intervals. Life exists because of the Cyclical Flow of Time.

Herman Minkowski, a mathematician, added Time as the Fourth Dimension of Three Dimensional Space. Time is seen as a Dimension as it gives meaning to events and the order in which they occur. Physicists describe Time and Space as the building blocks of this universe. Biologists see Time in the internal clocks that keep all living entities in sync with Nature. Human existence and the existence of all other living entities depend upon this illusionary experience of Time. Life exists and operates only if Time flows in a cyclical manner just like a wheel that moves, rotates on an axle or axis. Man needs this experience of day and night during his entire life journey. Man needs the changing Seasons with its cyclical regularity. Just imagine the consequences to human existence if Spring Season does not arrive at the Time it is expected. You have correctly pointed out that planet Earth is not at the same location or place in Space as Time flows. Last year, we had experienced the Spring Season while Earth existed at an entirely different location and we look forward for the arrival of a new Spring Season in spite of the Change in the position. In spite of Changes in location or position, in relative terms, the Spring Season is the Unchanging Reality of the Conditioned State of Human Existence. Because of the Conditioned nature of Human Existence, Man always looks forward, and hopes that Time would flow in a cyclical manner bringing cyclical changes. Biologists describe Life in terms of Life Cycles. All living functions have a rhythmic or cyclical quality. The exchange of gases during a cycle called Respiration involves the cyclical events of Inspiration and Expiration. The vital functions sustained by Circulation demands cyclical flow of Blood. The Individual and his State or Condition of Individuality remains existing as an Unchanging Reality as long as he experiences the cyclical changes in his bodily functions and in the environment in which he exists. I am that Unchanging Reality, the Reality of my Identity and my Individuality remains unchanged as my physical body experiences cyclical changes in its substance and in the environment where it exists. My phenotype or morphological appearance or outward appearance undergoes a constant change and this change is synchronized with the cyclical change called alternating periods of Day and Night. The Biological Clock precisely measures this Time interval or duration of my existence relative to the illusionary change; in Reality, the Sun is shining with all His brightness at all times with no significant change that I can perceive.

THE GOD CONNECTION :

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018. Face Recognition Technology helps Identification of an Individual. Under the influence of Time, the outward appearance undergoes changes all the time during Life’s Journey and yet Identity and Individuality survives the Time’s Power of Dissolution.

My Identity and my Individuality is the Unchanging Reality of my conditioned state of human existence. I had explored the Nature of this Unchanging Identity and Individuality. This Unchanging Reality of Identity and Individuality exists during the Time interval or duration of my God Connection. I know that Time existed before my creation, Time is operating during my existence as a created being, and Time would continue to operate after my physical dissolution. Time with its great power of Dissolution could not change my perception about my Unchanging Identity and Individuality because of my God Connection. It is rational, it is logical, and it is reasonable to reflect upon Absolute and Unchanging Reality as long as I maintain my Identity and Individuality which can not be changed or altered by the flow of Time.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada

BHAVANAJAGAT.ORG

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018. Sun’s Apparent Motions Across Sky have Real Consequences for Life on Planet Earth.

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018. Man cannot dismiss Apparent Motions of Sun across Sky as Illusion. This Illusion has Real Consequences as it determines Man’s Existence as Mortal Being.

MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018. SUN’S JOURNEY ACROSS CELESTIAL SPHERE.

MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018 – PERCEPTION OF CHANGING SEASONS. SUN’S PATH ACROSS SKY VARIES WITH SEASONS.

MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018. MAN IS KEEPING TRACK OF SUN’S MOTION ACROSS SKY.

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MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018. WHAT IS THE ECLIPTIC? ILLUSION IS MORE RELEVANT THAN SUN’S REAL MOTION OR REVOLUTION AROUND MILKY WAY GALACTIC CENTER.

MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018. SUN’S MOVEMENT ACROSS SKY HELPS TO MEASURE TIME. MAN’S LIFESPAN IS MEASURED BY APPARENT MOTION OF SUN.

MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018. WHILE OBSERVED FROM EARTH, SUN DURING HIS ANNUAL JOURNEY ENTERS AND TRAVERSES CAPRICORN.

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018. Sun’s Annual Celestial Path. On this Day, Sun begins to traverse across Zodiacal Constellation of Capricorn or “MAKAR.”

· The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking – God Did Not Create the Universe

·

MAKAR SANKRANTI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018. CONSTELLATIONS OF THE ZODIAC.

Makar Sankranti – Sunday, January 14, 2018. For God created Universe with Life on Earth, Sun traverses across Earth’s Sky giving Man blessed opportunity to Measure Time and prepare Calendars.

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TIBET DEVELOPMENTS – FUTURE OF SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

TIBET DEVELOPMENTS – FUTURE OF SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

From September 1971 to December 1974 I served in Establishment No. 22 to provide military service to the Central Intelligence Agency on behalf of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) which is directly supervised by Cabinet Secretariat and Prime Minister’s Office(PMO), Government of India.

In my analysis, there is no change in the military mission assigned to Special Frontier Force. All said and done, Tibet remains under military occupation and Communist governance of People’s Republic of China poses threat to Freedom, Peace, Democracy, and Justice to all nations of the region. There will be no compromise for world still needs ‘Tibet Equilibrium’.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

TIBET DEVELOPMENTS MAY PUT PRESSURE ON INDIA

Clipped from: http://www.rediff.com/news/column/tibet-developments-may-put-pressure-on-india/20180107.htm

Samdong Rimpoche’s visit to China materialized against the backdrop of strained India-China relations consequent to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam, says former RA&W officer Jayadeva Ranade.

There have been important developments relating to Tibet since the Chinese Communist Party congress ended in Beijing on October 25, 2017 and the two months thereafter.

All of them have implications for India and some could potentially put India under sustained pressure.

The first was the indication that the Chinese Communist Party’s central committee’s united front work department, which is responsible for supervising non-Communist parties and ethnic minorities including the Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Regions, was preparing to take fresh initiatives.

This was the dramatic ‘leak’ that Samdong Rimpoche — a former two-term Kalon Tripa (‘prime minister’) of the Tibetan administration-in-exile and among the Dalai Lama’s most trusted advisers — had quietly travelled to China in late November 2017.

Samdong Rimpoche, who was nominated a month earlier as the Dalai Lama’s envoy for talks with the Chinese authorities, would certainly have met senior Communist party leaders during his four-day stay in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province.

There is speculation that Rimpoche could have met You Quan, a former party secretary of Fujian province whom Chinese President Xi Jinping appointed director of the united front work department in November or Zhang Yijiong, executive vice minister of the UFWD.

If Rimpoche met Chinese leaders, this would be the first acknowledged contact between an envoy of the Dalai Lama and Chinese Communist officials since negotiations between the two sides were suspended in 2010.

China’s official media has, however, not yet mentioned a visit by a senior leader to Kunming during this period.

Dr Lobsang Sangay, the Sikyong (head) of the Central Tibetan Administration, obliquely confirmed that Professor Rimpoche had visited China. He was replying to a question posed by former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal on the sidelines of the M L Sondhi memorial lecture in New Delhi on December 14, when he cautioned ‘Don’t read too much into it. At most it’s a private visit and it’s too early to say anything.’

It is pertinent that Lobsang Sangay — who is the other envoy nominated by the Dalai Lama for talks with the Chinese — did not accompany Samdong Rimpoche probably because China continues to adhere to its policy of not recognizing the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala. No relaxation has been noticed in China’s policies towards Tibetans or Tibet so far.

Samdong Rimpoche’s visit also materialized against the backdrop of strained India-China relations consequent to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam and threats made at the time by China through its official media.

It comes too in the wake of an international conference convened by the Tibetan administration-in-exile in October 2017 to finalize a long-term action plan, including revival of Tibetan Buddhism in the Indo-Himalayan border belt.

At the same time a securitization of Tibet is taking place. Following up on Xi Jinping’s work report to the party congress — which for the first time devoted an entire section to poverty alleviation — the Tibet Autonomous Region has launched a campaign to tackle poverty and simultaneously enhance security.

It has decided to build ‘well-off border villages’ along Tibet’s ‘borders with India, Nepal, Bhutan and other neighboring countries to ensure the security of the borders and maintain stability’ in the region.

The State-owned Global Times newspaper on December 25, 2017 asserted that ‘confronting separatism remains a challenge for the region. Raising living standards for local residents is a fundamental way to guard against activity sabotaging China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’.

‘Tibet’s rural poverty alleviation,’ the newspaper added, will help maintain stability in the border areas’.

Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns in the TAR are being co-opted to sensitize people and ensure that Buddhism serves socialism.

Additionally, the decision to bring the people’s armed police force (PAPF) directly under the central military commission with effect from January 1, 2018 puts Tibet under the direct control of the people’s liberation army (PLA).

Xi Jinping had earlier appointed PLA officers loyal to him as the commander and political commissar of the PAPF.

Since the PAPF is deployed in strength in Tibet’s main towns, rural countryside and border areas, the PLA officers — who are now being re-inducted into the party standing committees at the provincial and county levels — will have an enhanced role.

In addition to deploying PAPF troops when civilian authorities request assistance, the PLA officers will have a greater role in military-civil coordination and be directly involved in building the ‘well-off border villages’.

Each of these villages is to be connected by road, thereby facilitating military movement along the border with India.

Finally, the TAR leadership is being encouraged to push the Belt and Road Initiative and Bangladesh China India Myanmar Corridor with Tibet’s neighbours.

To promote the BRI and BCIM, China has announced it will expand TAR’s road network from 82,000 kms to 89,000 kms by 2020.

Chinese officials have earlier pointed out that there are 70 road links between China and Nepal and there have been suggestions of a new China-Nepal-India Corridor.

The aim will be to build pressure on India by creating public opinion, including by co-opting Tibetans, to endorse the BRI and China’s plans of connectivity.

Jayadeva Ranade, a former Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, is presently President, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy.

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JANUARY 04, 2018 – THE GOD THAT WON

On January 04, 1950 Harpers published a collection of essays titled, “The God That Failed.” On January 04, 2018 I publish my story “The God That Won.” I use theory advocated by Karl Marx and I use my “In God We Trust” doctrine to ratify Marxist Theory.

In my analysis, the success of Karl Marx’s Theory of Dialectical Materialism is predicted by Jesus who described fulfillment of prophecy shared by Prophet Isaiah(ISAIAH 6:9-10)

The healing anticipated by Isaiah 6: 9-10, and Matthew 13: 14-15 has not taken place and hence Marx’s prediction remains true. I say, God predetermined Marx’s correct prediction on the course of Human History. God keeps people’s heart waxed until such time they find the chance to get converted.

JANUARY 04,1950

THE GOD THAT FAILED PUBLISHED

The God That Failed, a collection of essays by six writers and intellectuals who either joined or sympathized with the communist cause before renouncing the ideology, is published by Harpers.

The book provided interesting insight into why communism originally appealed to, and then disappointed, so many adherents in the United States and Europe, particularly during the 1920s and 1930s. The essays also showed that many individuals of good conscience and intentions desperately hoped that communism would bring order, justice, and peace to a world they worried was on the brink of disaster.

The six men who contributed to the book were all writers or journalists. Two were American (Louis Fischer and the African-American novelist Richard Wright); the rest were from Europe (Andre Gide from France, Arthur Koestler and Stephen Spender from England, and Ignazio Silone from Italy). Of these, Spender, Wright, Koestler, and Silone had been members of the Communist Party for varying lengths of time. Gide and Fischer, though they sympathized with the communist ideology, never formally joined the party. Each man, in his turn, eventually turned against communist ideology.
According to the volume’s editor, British politician and essayist Richard Crossman, the very fact that these intelligent and compassionate individuals were drawn to communism was “an indictment of the American way of life,” and evidence of “a dreadful deficiency in European democracy.” All of the writers–particularly during the 1920s and 1930s, when fascism and totalitarianism were on the march and the Western democracies seemed unable or unwilling to intercede–turned to communism as the hope for a better, more democratic, and more peaceful world. Each man eventually broke with the communist ideology, however. Some were disturbed by the Soviet-Nazi pact of 1939; others had traveled to the Soviet Union and were appalled by the poverty and political oppression.
The book, which was published the same year that former State Department official Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury related to his alleged role in a communist spy ring in the United States, was an interesting contribution to the ongoing national debate concerning communism.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4162 USA
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

FROM VICTORY DAY TO FORFEIT OF FREEDOM – MY JOURNEY FROM DECEMBER 16, 1971 TO DECEMBER 16, 2017

FROM VICTORY DAY TO FORFEIT OF FREEDOM – MY JOURNEY FROM DECEMBER 16, 1971 TO DECEMBER 16, 2017

I participated in Bangladesh Ops, code-named ‘Operation Eagle’, initiating Liberation of Bangladesh with military action in Chittagong Hill Tracts, starting from November 03/04, 1971.

In my expectation, I visualized Operation Eagle as physical and mental training to prepare me to fulfill my challenging military mission that aims at securing Freedom, Democracy, Peace, and Justice in Occupied Tibet.

Today, I need to take stock of the ground realities. Both the United States, and India have missed several opportunities to dispatch me on my military mission. Apparently, people have forfeited Freedom and Liberty in pursuit of wealth and material prosperity which they hope will provide ‘Security’.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 48104-4162

VIJAY DIWAS: A TIME TO CELEBRATE AND TAKE STOCK

Clipped from: https://swarajyamag.com/defence/vijay-diwas-a-time-to-celebrate-and-take-stock

Lt Gen Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of Lt Gen Aurora. (Indian Navy)

Snapshot

· Forty-six years ago today, more than 3,500 warriors of the Indian Army crafted a victory that resulted in the capture of 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war and delivered a new nation in 14 days.

But how many of the young Indians know that 16 December is marked as Vijay Diwas?

Ask new generation Indians, the predominant group in our nation, what Vijay Diwas is all about and you are more likely to get a blank response. For a few who know anything at all, a war was fought and won, Bangladesh was created and that is all. That over 3,500 warriors of the Indian Armed Forces made the ultimate sacrifice in the war that ended in India’s victory on 16 December 1971, that we captured 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war (PoWs) and delivered a new nation in 14 days of a two front conventional military engagement is hardly known to them.

The 1971 India-Pakistan war saw the execution of a well-considered strategy, evolved by the redoubtable Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, even as he convinced then prime minister Indira Gandhi and her close cabinet colleagues and aides on the necessity of going slow and not being tempted by the evolving situation in March 1971. The Field Marshal had the professional courage to parry demands and shun any talk of immediate war in early 1971 when the crisis in the then East Pakistan had brewed and spilled over beyond retrieval, triggering the first reactions in South Block.

The backdrop to the situation related to the state of politics in Pakistan where the Bengali Muslims of East Pakistan were clearly resistant to the idea of being subjugated by the dominant Punjabi and Mohajir influence. The issue of language had been the touchy beginning to the standoff between East Pakistan (Bengali speaking and resistant to Urdu) and West Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wajed, was illegally denied his electoral victory in 1970 by Pakistan’s ruling coterie, which was influenced by Zulfiqar Bhutto. The crisis spilled into the streets and became a point of no return in March 1971. The Pakistan Army’s reign of terror on the hapless Bengalis exacerbated the situation with an initial displacement of a million refugees who spilled across the border into India. The figure progressively moved up to 10 million.

The Field Marshal famously faced the powerful coterie of Indira Gandhi and gave them a lesson in strategy. He reminded them of his demands for an enhanced budget to buy more spares for the tanks and sufficient ammunition for the artillery which had not been granted. He let them know that a war in April or May meant for the standing crop of wheat all over Western India which would be destroyed by movement of the Army thus leading to a major food crisis in India. Among other cautionary, he stated that war in June-August would be a major problem with moving dual task Army formations west to east or vice versa due to the floods and shaky railway infrastructure besides the state of the terrain in East Pakistan.

The prime minister gave in to the Army Chief’s advice and trusted him to evolve the war fighting plans should Pakistan decide to go to war. The war finally broke out on 3 December 1971 but preceding that a series of clashes occurred at the borders some of them well above the classical description of patrol and border clashes. The Indian Army followed a simple strategy.

Firstly, the war effort would be focused on the eastern theatre where the impact would have to be decisive; there was total clarity about this.

Secondly, the western front could not be ignored as Pakistan would want India’s attention to be diverted and resources divided. The western theatre was largely to be in holding mode but that would not restrict offensive operations where ever opportunities arose.

Thirdly, for the eastern theater the strategy included speedy thrusts, bypassing main opposition which would be contained or masked to allow the main advance to progress unhindered to the identified center of gravity, Dacca.

The early multi-directional threat to Dacca would unnerve the Pakistani military leadership and force it to capitulate. The role of the Indian Air Force was crucial and it led to some decisive actions such as at Longewala (Rajasthan) where a large Armoured column of the Pakistan Army was decimated in the morning after it was brought to a standstill by a single company with two recoilless guns of 23 Punjab. The Indian Air Force also ensured total domination of the air above East Pakistan. The Indian Navy not to be left behind was entrusted the task of intimidating Pakistan with a virtual blockade of Karachi, Pakistan’s only port. The Navy went well beyond its brief and achieved total domination of the sea and even raided Karachi harbor with missile attacks.

The Indian forces in the eastern theatre comprised 4 Corps under Lt Gen Sagat Singh, 33 Corps under Lt Gen M L Thapar and the newly raised 2 Corps under Lt Gen T N Raina. In less than 14 days, the Indian troops were at the doorstep of Dacca having bypassed all islands of resistance and making use of the distinct corridors provided by the riverine terrain. A parachute drop of the 2nd Para at Tangail secured the final bridges and crossings enabling the troops to make an early entry into the outskirts of Dacca even as radio messages were transmitted to the Pakistani leadership that further resistance would only result in more bloodshed while a surrender would ensure full safety of troops.

The Pakistan Army as is well known had sufficient stocks of ammunition and other logistics wherewithal. It could have fought long and resisted to the end but devoid of any air power with its forward locations under Indian siege the only thing that the Pakistanis could fight for was their honor and name as a fighting force. Lt Gen A A K Niazi, the overall commander of Pakistani forces in the eastern theatre weighed his options and made the final decision for surrender, the details of which were negotiated by Maj Gen (later Lt Gen) JFR Jacob. The surrender ceremony which was impromptu involved the signing of the surrender document by Lt Gen Niazi and its handing over to Lt Gen Jagjit Aurora, Army Commander Eastern Command. The photograph of the ceremony is now folklore and adorns every military museum, motivation hall and officers mess of the Indian Army.

The western front saw action all along, from Naya Chor in Rajasthan to Turtuk in Ladakh. Some intense armour battles were fought in the Shakargarh Bulge. 10 Para (Commando) now 10 SF under Lt Col Bhawani Singh, MVC conducted a series of raids across the international border in the Barmer sector. 9 Para (Commando) similarly earned glory for its action in Jammu and Kashmir. The Lipa Valley was captured by the famous Dagger Division among many other gains by the Indian Army on the western front.

Among the famous battles of 1971 were Akhaura, Sylhet, Hilli, Basantar, Longewala, Lipa Valley and Naya Chor. There are many heroes of 1971 whose names need to be folklore and whose deeds must be brought to the knowledge of young Indians of today. A nation which does not sufficiently glorify its military heroes is not a nation with sufficient self-esteem. India is surely not in that category as the public loves the Armed Forces, respects them immensely but unfortunately is completely divorced from knowledge about the deeds of the very forces they revere.

The names of 2/Lt Arun Khetarpal, Major Hoshiyar Singh, Flt Lt Nirmaljeet Singh Sekhon and L/Naik Albert Ekka, all winners of the Param Vir Chakra (India’s highest wartime award for valor in the face of the enemy) need to be known to India’s young. India needs a public relations outreach to educate the public about the sacrifice of its heroes. There are many patriotic organizations which are organizing events to mark Vijay Diwas, but this really needs a major push to make it a movement.

The Indian Armed Forces need to provide an example of doing something different on Vijay Diwas. It would be good to see that along with traditional ‘barakhana’ and pep talks by commanders which are routine, all units and establishments must undertake an exercise of self-appraisal and identification of strengths and weaknesses. This should be done through an exercise of mutual discussion and consultation with all stakeholders and result in identification of one or two themes from different domains (operations, training, administration, equipment management etc.) to be undertaken for rectification over the next year.

It should be entirely an internal exercise with no checks and in an environment which promotes trust and ability to function unsupervised. Subsequently the Armed Forces should project this model of self-appraisal across the nation for all civil establishments to conduct in the same spirit. Vijay Diwas must ultimately emerge as a day beyond just ceremonials. It should be seen as a day synonymous with victory over inertia and victory over inefficiency.

We can ill-afford to forget the India-Pakistan War of 1971; it is just too important an event in India’s post-1947 history. Progressive nations move on and shape their destinies with hard work and initiatives but equally draw inspiration from the achievements of the past. We cannot allow our young not to be aware of our modern day history and therefore much more effort is needed to spread the word of India’s military heritage. Fortunately, there is deep interest in this, but not enough people to explain and render assistance to educational institutions in the field of military history and strategic culture. An odd lone ranger is doing it, but it needs to become a movement.

Happy Vijay Diwas to the nation!

Created with Microsoft OneNote 2016.

DECEMBER 16, 2017 – WHO CARES FOR MY FREEDOM?

On wholedude.com

On Saturday December 16, 2017 I have no other person to join me to mourn the loss of my Freedom while Indians celebrate “VIJAY DIWAS” or Victory Day in remembrance of December 16, 1971 when India declared victory in its war against Pakistan leading to Liberation of Bangladesh.

In November-December 1971, I witnessed the loss of lives of young Tibetan soldiers during military action in Chittagong Hill Tracts. I host their spirits in my living consciousness.

Today, I find no other person, or organization willing to acknowledge the fact of losing lives of Tibetan soldiers. There is no Prime Minister, there is no President, there is no Spiritual Leader, there is no Defence Minister, there is no Army Chief, and there is no Secret Service Agency willing to acknowledge the loss of life while we took part in Operation Eagle, Bangladesh Ops that initiated Liberation of Bangladesh. I have no one to share my grief. I have no one who may extend sympathy. I have no one to give me hope. I have no one to promise Freedom down the road while my life’s journey is marching towards its inevitable destination.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-4162 USA
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE PAYS TRIBUTE TO INDIAN ARMED FORCES ON VIJAY DIWAS

On behalf of Special Frontier Force, I join the nation to pay tribute to members and families of Indian Armed Forces to honor the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 India-Pakistan War.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

Vijay Diwas: Nirmala Sitharaman, armed forces pay tributes to heroes of 1971 war

On Vijay Diwas, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and top brass of the armed forces paid tributes to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 India-Pakistan war
PTI

Nirmala Sitharaman, army chief General Bipin Rawat, vice chief of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P. and chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa laid wreaths at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in India Gate on Vijay Diwas. Photo: PTI
New Delhi: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and top brass of the armed forces on Saturday paid tributes to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, which paved the way for the creation of Bangladesh.
Sitharaman, army chief General Bipin Rawat, chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa and vice chief of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P. laid wreaths at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in India Gate, paying respect to the fallen heroes of the war.

“On #VijayDiwas, the nation remembers the courage & sacrifice of soldiers in Indo-Pak war of 1971 which led to the stunning victory of India over Pakistan,” the Defence Minister tweeted.

Vijay Diwas is commemorated on this day every year to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the war, which had led to the creation of Bangladesh. On 16 December 1971, nearly 93,000 Pakistani soldiers had raised white flags and surrendered to the Indian Army. The victory followed the creation of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan).

A number of functions were organized in Delhi and elsewhere to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan.

First Published: Sat, Dec 16 2017. 08 21 PM IST

Topics: Vijay Diwas Nirmala Sitharaman Bipin Rawat India Gate India Pakistan War

Copyright © 2017 HT Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Inserted from <http://www.livemint.com/Politics/MyO8dg8qdp58J3ngBf7MnM/Vijay-Diwas-Nirmala-Sitharaman-armed-forces-pay-tributes-t.html
>

On wholedude.com

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE PAYS TRIBUTE TO INDIAN ARMED FORCES ON VIJAY DIWAS

 
 

 

On behalf of Special Frontier Force, I join the nation to pay tribute to members and families of Indian Armed Forces to honor the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 India-Pakistan War.

 
 

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada

SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

 
 

 
 

Vijay Diwas: Nirmala Sitharaman, armed forces pay tributes to heroes of 1971 war

 
 

On Vijay Diwas, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and top brass of the armed forces paid tributes to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 India-Pakistan war

PTI

Nirmala Sitharaman, army chief General Bipin Rawat, vice chief of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P. and chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa laid wreaths at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in India Gate on Vijay Diwas. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and top brass of the armed forces on Saturday paid tributes to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, which paved the way for the creation of Bangladesh.

Sitharaman, army chief General Bipin Rawat, chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa and vice chief of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P. laid wreaths at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in India Gate, paying respect to the fallen heroes of the war.

 
 

“On #VijayDiwas, the nation remembers the courage & sacrifice of soldiers in Indo-Pak war of 1971 which led to the stunning victory of India over Pakistan,” the Defence Minister tweeted.

 
 

Vijay Diwas is commemorated on this day every year to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the war, which had led to the creation of Bangladesh. On 16 December 1971, nearly 93,000 Pakistani soldiers had raised white flags and surrendered to the Indian Army. The victory followed the creation of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan).

 
 

Many functions were organized in Delhi and elsewhere to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan.

 
 

First Published: Sat, Dec 16, 2017. 08 21 PM IST

 
 

Topics: Vijay Diwas Nirmala Sitharaman Bipin Rawat India Gate India Pakistan War

 
 

 
 

Copyright © 2017 HT Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved

 
 

Inserted from <http://www.livemint.com/Politics/MyO8dg8qdp58J3ngBf7MnM/Vijay-Diwas-Nirmala-Sitharaman-armed-forces-pay-tributes-t.html>

 
 

THE COLD WAR IN ASIA – THE DALAI LAMA WANTS TO RETURN HOME

THE COLD WAR IN ASIA – THE DALAI LAMA WANTS TO RETURN HOME

I am sharing my perspective on behalf of Special Frontier Force with which I maintain lifetime affiliation apart from my military service at Establishment No. 22 from September 1971 to December 1974. I often describe myself as Doom Dooma Doomsayer and describe Doomed American China Fantasy as ‘Doomed Gun of Doom Dooma’.

My journey to Doom Dooma, Tinsukia District, Assam started in Mylapore, Madras or Chennai and I describe it as Kasturi-Sarvepalli-Madras-India-Tibet-US Connection. On my maternal side, I am related to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who served as first Vice President of India for two consecutive terms(1952-62) and as second President of India from 1962-67. Most political analysts recognize Dr Radhakrishnan as a philosopher and give him no credit for his role as India’s diplomat during The Cold War Era. In my analysis, I describe Special Frontier Force as military organization that symbolizes military treaty or military pact between Tibet, India, and the US. Both India, and the US recognize His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama as the Supreme Ruler of Tibet and hence he is in a position to enter into agreements with other nations. Due to Cold War Era secret diplomacy, the agreement between Tibet, India, and the US remains as a secret while China could easily expose its true purpose and mission. For China knows the secret, I want to affirm that our military mission is that of securing Freedom, Democracy, Peace, and Justice in Occupied Tibet. The Dalai Lama Institution of Tibetan Government for all practical purposes represents Tibetan Right to Self-Governance, and can be called Tibetan Democratic way of life.
I am indeed sad, disappointed, frustrated, disenchanted by Trump presidency and there is no excuse for not agreeing for Trump-Dalai Lama meeting at The White House. Trump’s America or Americans First Policy goes against American values of celebrating Freedom, Democracy, Peace, and Human Rights. President Trump has to know that The Cold War in Asia is not over. Americans fought bloody battles in Korea and Vietnam. Those wars do not represent warfare against Koreans or Vietnamese people. Those military conflicts represent the policy of engagement to confront, and contain and even neutralize the security threat posed by Communism. China’s One-Party governance or Communism remains a regional as well as global threat to Freedom, Democracy, Peace, and Human Rights. USA has no choice and has to choose its partners or allies to resist the danger of Communism.
I want to remind our readers not to ignore or underestimate the role of Natural Forces that shaped the reality of independent lifestyles of Tibetans over centuries. Indian Landmass continues to thrust against Asian Landmass, and the Himalayas continue to rise in height. I have no concern for man’s ability to use physical force to shape earthly events. I share the vision of Prophet Isiah and Prophet John( Book of Revelation) and predict heavenly strike against the Evil Empire code-named as “Babylon.”

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

THE DALAI LAMA WANTS TO RETURN HOME

Clipped from: https://thewire.in/201726/dalai-lama-india-china-tibet/

Is India bracing for the potential fallout?

The Chinese national flag is raised during a ceremony marking the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at Potala Palace in Lhasa in July 2017. Credit: Reuters/CNS/He Penglei
The impact of the 19th Communist Party of China congress and affirmation of President Xi Jinping as China’s ‘most powerful’ leader in decades seems already to be having a bearing on India – especially on the ‘Tibet Issue’ that deeply intersects with the boundary problem. Is India bracing for the potential fallout?
There may be more to the Dalai Lama’s desire to return home than meets the eye. The Tibetan leader’s November 23 statement – “The past is past, Tibetans want to stay with China” – carries a serious political overtone, coming as it does immediately after the 19th party congress and the Doklam standoff between India and China.
The Dalai Lama’s statement that he is “not seeking independence for Tibet and wishing to stay with China” is not new; however, his declaration that “he would return to Tibet at once, if China agrees” has sparked fresh speculation of a possible rapprochement with Beijing.
The sign of rapid thawing strangely comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing. Most likely, Trump wouldn’t have made Tibet a pressure point in his dealings with Beijing; rather he would have dumped the Dalai Lama (whom the US fostered for over half a century) on the altar of a better trade deal and for securing China’s commitment to exert more pressure on North Korea. During the trip US officials made to Dharamsala prior to Trump’s visit, this prospect would probably have been discussed.
The inevitability of this change was clear when the US had started faltering on Tibet even earlier, when Barack Obama had to welcome the Dalai Lama through the back door of the White House, signaling Washington’s inability to withstand Beijing’s pressure.
Trump was not even inclined to embrace the issue, as he refused to meet the Tibetan leader and instead proposed zero aid in 2018 to the Tibetans, reversing the decades-old American policy. The State Department has also not appointed a special coordinator for Tibet.
Surely it couldn’t have been a coincidence that a week after Trump’s China visit, the Dalai Lama abruptly selected two personal emissaries (for an indefinite period) to represent him in all ‘global engagements’. He has cited increasing physical fatigue, but the decision to appoint two “trusted friends” – former ‘prime minister-in-exile‘ Samdong Rinpoche and current president of the ‘government in exile’, Lobsang Sangay – was meant to send a calibrated signal to China.
Anyway, the Dalai Lama has been working on a new plan – 5/50 vision – that envisaged a five-year strategy for returning to dialogue with China, but preparing for a 50-year struggle if needed – along the “hope for the best and prepare for the worst” proverb. The 5/50 strategy reaffirmed his middle way approach (Umaylam) as a realistic political means of realizing the dual aim of his early return to Tibet and fulfilling the aspirations of the Tibetan people.
Appointing personal emissaries satisfies China. Beijing has been emphatically asking the Dalai Lama to stop travelling to Western capitals, if talks are to be resumed. At the 19th party congress, the Tibet Work Forum chief told reporters that international figures have no excuse for meeting with the Dalai Lama. Recently, the Dalai Lama even had to abort his planned visit to Botswana, citing physical “exhaustion”.
Within this rapidly-unfolding scenario, the Dalai Lama appears to have sent Samdong on a discreet visit to Kunming (China). Samdong’s visit, starting from mid November, must have been facilitated by no less than You Quan – newly-appointed head of the United Front Work Department that overseas Tibetan affairs. You Quan, who formerly served as party secretary of Fujian, is a close associate of President Xi. He had earlier successfully dealt with Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan’s business communities.
Clearly, Samdong’s visit forms part of the first five-year plan to engage with China, while Lobsang Sangay’s 17-day tour to Europe and Canada is meant to sustain the struggle for the next 50 years, if the first plan fails.
Will the talks succeed now? In the past, Chinese leaders stymied the Dalai Lama’s desire to return to Tibet. But there is a distinct possibility that it may bear fruit this time.
First, Xi, widely known to have a soft spot for Tibet, hitherto kept his own approach close to his chest, fearing resistance from hardliners. Unlike others, he held the view that the prospects for solving the Tibet problem would peter out once the Dalai Lama is no more. Xi now finds himself in a perfect position to resolve the issue as no other Chinese leader could do in the past, for he also stands to gain personally both in political and moral terms, to become the most credible leader in China’s history.
Second, the Dalai Lama too long hoped for Xi to change tack, as he hailed him as “realist” and “open-minded” in contrast to his predecessors. In fact, the Tibetan leader has admitted to having received positive signals from top Chinese officials, especially from the moderate elements as streams of Han Chinese flocked to meet him during Xi’s first term. In May this year, the party was shocked to find their own party members clandestinely funding the Dalai Lama.
But, most critically, Tibetans living inside Tibet may have pressured the Dalai Lama to seize the opportunity and resolve differences during Xi’s second term, before the window for a deal closes a few years from now.
With time running out fast, the Dalai Lama can be anything but hopeful. He has been steadily losing international support in the face of China’s rise as a world power. No longer does any country dare to receive the Dalai Lama officially.
Apart from his own ageing, the Tibetan leader faces the challenge of keeping his flock together. For example, the delay in reaching a solution causes anxiety, uncertainty and division among his people. Even inside Tibet, rising frustration and hopelessness have been highlighted by people resorting to self-immolation. The number stands at 149 so far.
And so, in what must be an embarrassing climb-down for the exiled Tibetan leaders, all they can do now is settle for the cause of “development”, besides hoping that the Chinese will not resort to repression of the Tibetan people.
Therefore, in a way, we are likely witness the curtains finally being drawn on Tibet’s quest for an independent state. Tim Johnson knew this when he aptly titled his book Tragedy in Crimson: How the Dalai Lama Conquered the World but Lost the Battle with China.
And finally, for India, the question is whether New Delhi has any role to play in this rapidly-evolving scene, and if so under what political parameters. There is no sign of anyone having even considered the impact of this. But to be cautious, any Sino-Tibetan deal would seriously risk undercutting India’s position on the boundary dispute with China.
Seemingly fretful about impending developments, the Dalai Lama now finds himself walking a political tightrope by espousing reconciliation between India and China, “living peacefully by putting the differences aside”. He maintained a hands-off position and tried not to get drawn even into the Doklam standoff – instead calling for a peaceful solution. One hopes he is successful this time.
P. Stobdan, a former Indian ambassador, specializes in Chinese, Tibetan, Mongolian and Uighur affairs.

US POLICY ON OPPRESSION IN TIBET: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

US policy on ‘Oppression in Tibet’ serves no purpose for it is ‘too little, too late’. US has to make a fundamental determination of Tibet’s status as an independent nation prior to Communist China’s invasion in 1950. US has to declare the illegal nature of China’s conquest of Tibet.
I ask the United States to state clearly that Tibet was not part of China before the invasion, while also declaring that China has violated international law.

Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE

ACTOR RICHARD GERE: IN TIBET, ‘OPPRESSION CANNOT BE TOLERATED’

Clipped from: http://wjla.com/news/entertainment/actor-richard-gere

Richard Gere at House Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) – Members of the House Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific met Wednesday to discuss U.S. policy toward Tibet.; more specifically, working toward greater access, religious freedom and human rights for Tibetan citizens.
Two bills pending before the subcommittee were highlighted. The H.R.1872 —Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017 would require the U.S. State Department to submit a list to Congress of senior Chinese officials in leadership positions for review. Congress would then determine the officials’ level of access to the United States contingent with the access U.S. officials are granted to Tibetan areas in China.

The second bill, H.Con.Res.89, maintains that United States policy toward Tibet and treatment of the Tibetan people should remain a factor in U.S. relations with China.
Subcommittee Chairman Ted Yoho, R- Fla., discussed the ways in which the Tibetan people have had their human rights and civil liberties encroached upon.
“Human rights and personal freedoms in Tibet are already in a poor and worsening state,” Yoho said. “According to a 2016 Human Rights report, the government of China engages in the severe repression of Tibet’s unique cultural and linguistic heritage by among other means strictly curtailing the civil rights of the Tibetan population, including the freedoms of speech, religion, association, assembly and movement.”
The congressman added that the flow of information is heavily restricted to Tibet by China.

“Tibet remains extremely isolated. The flow of information in and out of Tibet is tightly restricted,” Yoho said. “Tibetans are prevented from obtaining passports and moving freely and foreigners especially journalists and officials are frequently denied access.”
Ranking Member of the Subcommittee Brad Sherman, D- Calif., said in 2015 China expressed they had no intentions of granting autonomy to Tibet.
“China’s suppression of Tibet has continued and intensified. China has not held discussions about Tibet’s status with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since January 2010,” Sherman said.
Sherman then asked the lawmakers to take a stronger stance with China when conducting trade business.
“To think that we allow China to exercise that kind of control while giving them free access to our markets is something Congress needs to review,” Sherman said.
Chairman Emeritus of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Ileana Ros Lehtinen, R- Fla., also made a statement: “Tibet has been pushed to the periphery of U.S. foreign policy.”
One of the hearing’s key witnesses was award-winning actor Richard Gere. Human rights advocacy is a subject Gere has testified on before Congress in previous hearings. He also famously took a moment during the 1993 Oscar awards to ask former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping to “take his troops, take the Chinese away from Tibet and allow these people to live as free and independent people again.”

During Wednesday’s hearing, Gere spoke to the committee as the chair of the board of directors for the International Campaign for Tibet. He told lawmakers he was touched by their support from both sides of the aisle.
“I am totally knocked out by the words I’m hearing from all of you,” Gere said. “I think everyone in this room is feeling this from a deep place. How important this is maybe not strategically but humanly and what it means to us as Americans to be coming from this place of universal responsibility protecting the welfare and human rights of everyone on this planet.”
He thanked Congress for awarding the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. He emphasized that the current human rights issues in Tibet strike at the core of American values.
“The respect for the identity of a people, of their religion, is something the American people understand very well and deeply care about,” Gere said. “Before being politicians or actors, we are human beings who understand that oppression cannot be tolerated; you understand that all human beings have the right to the pursuit of happiness and to avoid suffering.”
Gere also said that while President Donald Trump did discuss human rights with China during his most reason trip to Asia, he did not publicly highlight Tibet and the need for reopening a dialogue between Chinese officials and the Dalai Lama. He said it important for there to be reciprocity in diplomatic relations, not only in trade — but in freedom of movement and information.

Hearing Witness Director of the Tibetan Service, Radio Free Asia, Tenzin Tethong, spoke candidly about the difficulty in getting fact-based news reports to the Tibetan people and the struggle their reporters go through to gain access to Tibet.
“It’s extremely difficult for any of our journalists to have normal access to Tibet, which ranks among the world’s worst media environments after North Korea,” Tethong said. “Nevertheless, many of them maintain various levels of contact with vast networks of trusted sources inside who can provide tips, leads, images, video, and confirmation of events.”
Tethong claims that China has become more forceful with comprehensive censorship and propaganda in Tibet.
Hearing witness and President of the National Endowment for Democracy Carl Gershman, asserted that China’s behavior toward Tibet has actually worsened in comparison to previous leaders.
“In fact, the threat posed by China to the world order has increased with its growing economic power, and repression is worse today than at any time since the death of Mao Zedong four decades ago,” Gershman said. “In addition to the systematic effort to destroy the Tibetan religion, language, culture, and distinct national identity, China has flooded Tibet with Han Chinese settlers, placed monasteries under direct government control, arrested and tortured writers, and forcibly resettled more than two million nomads in urban areas, destroying their traditional way of life and disrupting the fragile ecosystem of the Tibet Plateau”
Gershman called on the United States to state clearly that Tibet was not part of China before the invasion, while also declaring that China has violated international law.
“We also need to remember that the struggle for Tibetan rights cannot be separated from the fight for human rights and freedom in China,” Gershman said.