SHILLONG, FEB 4: Tibetan prime mister in exile Lobsang Sangay said that India can play a constructive role in resolving the Tibet issue as Tibet is vital not only for India but for South Asia and Asia at large.
Sangay said during a media conference on Tuesday, “I think China-Tibet issue is one of the core issue and Tibet should also be core issue to India, environmentally, spiritually, geo-politically, for every reason, therefore, India could play a very constructive role in resolving the Tibet autonomy issue.”
Informing that Tibet is vital not just for India but also for South Asia and Asia at large, Sangay said that Tibet is called the third pole having the third highest Ice reservoir after Antarctica and Arctic. And when the Ice melts, he added it turns into fresh water which provides water to one billion people in Asia.”
Pointing out most of the major and important rivers of the world such as Brahmaputra (India), Yellow river (China) starts from Tibet, Sangay said, “In that sense, Tibet is also vital as far as climate of Asia is concerned specially in this part of the region where the delay of monsoon is dependent upon the Tibetan plateau.”
Lamenting the deforestation taking place in Tibet, Sangay said whenever there are reports that one-third of Bangladesh and some parts of north-east are under water it has direction connection to deforestation in Tibet.”
On reports of diversion of rivers including the Brahmaputra, Sangay said, “If that happens, the rivers (which are the lifeline for millions of people who survives on fisheries and agricultures), it will be a major concerns, especially the north east, Himalayan belt, South Asia and South East Asia.”
Revisiting the past when Tibetans were the owner of the Tibetan plateau, Sangay said the Tibetans never had this issue because they respected the natural flow of rivers, respected the preservation of forests, But he lamented,” “Now, with the deforestation and specially the exploitation of river sources in Tibet, it will have negative ramification for years and years to come.”
Sangay said in this sense it is in India’s interest, to preserve the environment of the Himalayan belt in Tibet as well as for spiritual reason and other reasons.
Sangay also enlightened on the Tibet’s culture of preserving environment has its root in India and the democracy it practices in elections replicated from Indian democracy. He said, “The Tibetan movement is made in India and in fact led by people who are born and brought up in India.”
Sangay, therefore, felt that for India the Tibet issue is very important as its relationship with Tibet goes back to centuries. Quoting the Dalai Lama, he said, “India is our Guru and we (Tibetans) are India’s disciple because we follow Buddhism based on Nalanda’s tradition.”- By Our Reporter
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