I would like first to make the point that I visited Tibet during 1938 for just two months and Lhasa for only eight days: thus my contribution to this meeting is of little consequence, compared with those of others present, who are acknowledged experts on the subject.

Throughout our visit my companion, Captain Kenneth Shepheard and I encountered a people, who in every respect were most kind, cheerful and helpful; they obviously enjoyed a happy life, as is normally the case with mountain people world-wide.

We were given a warm welcome each night at our primitive lodgings and the headman in each hamlet provided us effectively with all the pack animals, ponies and yaks, that were required for the following day. We provided simple medication for the peasants, on request, and this was always received with gratitude. In the village of Samada, the headman invited us to participate in a memorable evening of splendid music and country dancing.

On our arrival in Gyantse, we visited the British fort, which had a small garrison of Indian troops, and called on the British Trade Agent, Mr Hugh Richardson - head of the British Mission in Lhasa between 1936-1947 and of the Government of Independent India 15 August to 1950.

I arrived in Lhasa on 13 September and stayed at the British Mission - Dekyi Lingka (Happy Garden) in Lhasa. While in Lhasa we were given a wonderful reception. We were invited to visit the Regent, the Prime Minister, four Shapes (past or, preset, members of the Kashag, the Cabinet) and other citizens of note, who entertained us liberally.

We also met with the Nepalese representative who had a small escort of Gurkha soldiers.

Before the First World War, a strong personal accord developed between the 13th Dalai Lama and the British resident in Sikkim, Sir Charles Bell. Bell was most anxious that Tibet should become more knowledgeable about the outside world and, as a first step, he persuaded the Dalai Lama to select four young Tibetan boys and arranged for them to be educated in a school in Britain. Rubgy was the school finally selected and there the boys passed several happy years.

Of these four, one had, sadly, died shortly after his return from Britain. The other three, Ringang, Mingdro and Kyupu, were in excellent health and we met them in Lhasa. This gave me great pleasure, for I also have been to Rubgy school, though a few years later, and we were able to discuss, with much laughter, the curious habits of some of those scholarly masters, to whom we had been entrusted. Of these three Mindong was an immensely tall monk with a splendid sense of humour; he was the monk magistrate for Shol, that sector of Lhasa which lies directly below the Potala. Kyipu was city magistrate in Lhasa. Ringang, the youngest, had spent some thirteen years in Britain and after school had gone on to London University and then to Birmingham University to study engineering. He became a magistrate in a outlyineg part of Tibet, then he installed a hydro electric plant in Lhasa, he was interpreter to the cabinet and, on ceremonial occasions, had the honour of commanding some 600 feudal cavalry.

We were told the story of the Lopchak: this is a caravan which bring every two years from Leh to Lhasa, a tribute according to very ancient treaty. The caravan may take three months to make the journey, arriving in Lhasa always in October. By that time, the passes on this trail are snowbound, so the caravan is obliged to pass the winter in Lhasa and return to Leh the following year.

Though there was a Chinese government representative in Lhasa, we did not have the opportunity to meet him. They were told that there were only four Chinese in Lhasa at that time.

During my brief stay in Lhasa, I learned that the Dalai Lama ruled Tibet with the aid of a Prime Minister and a Cabinet composed of four members, one of whom was a monk and were known as Shapes. They were appointed by the Dalai Lama. The second and third rank officials were known as Dzasas and Tejis and the fourth as Depons, the fifth rank were composed of magistrates and medium Dzongpens, the sixth of lesser Dzongpens, the seventh of Tax Collectors and other minor officials and the eight of ungazetted officials.

Throughout our two months in Tibet we were greeted everywhere with smiles and laughter; the Tibetans appeared to be really happy, infectiously so, and there is little doubt that they found in their religion much encouragement and stability.

Against this former scenario it is quite appalling to picture the scene, as it is today. From the military point of view, it is estimated that some 300,000 Chinese troops are stationed in Tibet. What is really disturbing is that China has installed in Tibet at least five nuclear bases containing 8 inter-continental missiles and 70 medium missiles: in addition there are 14 large military airports plus some smaller ones, and 17 radar stations. This situation causes much concern to Tibet's neighbours, not surprisingly.

Probably the most important problem to be resolved is the population change that has been imposed; it is estimated that the population in Tibet today is composed of some six million Tibetans and 7.5 million Chinese. These Chinese are considerably better off in Tibet than they ever were in China and, thus, have no wish to return to their homeland. Though on a very much larger scale, this problem is similar to that existing in the Baltic states, where large Russian communities have no wish to return to their homeland either.

Some one million Tibetans have died since the Chinese invasion of 1950, some from starvation, some just slaughtered. The peasants have been deprived of their farmland, nearly all 6,000 monasteries have been destroyed, their valuable contents looted, and in the schools the language used is now Chinese not Tibetan. Tibetan culture and religion are in danger of disappearing completely, unless the existing system can be reversed within a reasonable time.

The stone pillar outside the Jo-Khang bears the inscription of the Treaty between Tibet and China (A.D. 821 it states:- "Tibetans shall be happy in the land of Tibet and the Chinese in the land of China".) We can only pray that this will come about without too much delay.

[ Homepage ] [ The Status of Tibet ]



This site is maintained and updated by The Office of Tibet, the official agency of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in London. This Web page may be linked to any other Web sites. Contents may not be altered.
Last updated: 2-Feb-96