The intent of this section is to debate, report and make accessible resources related to the socio-political and environment context of India and South Asia. We attempt through this section to present factual and opinion based views that keep track of the latest issues confronting the nation. These write-ups reflect the latest trends, concerns and thinking and would be useful to those involved in the Indian political discourse.

The opinions expressed in the contributions below reflect the views of the respective authors and not necessarily the views of the foundation.

• Denis J. Burke The Trials and Tribulations Faced By the Tibetan Community in Exile In A Changing Global Political Environment
  At present many organizations campaigning on behalf of the Tibetan community persist in seeking some form of independence, self-determination or autonomy. In light of the evolving position of China in the world it seems that this stance (and indeed the stance of The Dalai Lama’s government in exile) is becoming ever more unrealistic. Aside from Human Rights campaigns, ongoing concerns about Taiwan, Tibet was a large part of the reason that China was ostracized from the international community. Tibetan reactions to China’s changing position in the world and the dwindling of Western attention to their cause are changing the way that Tibetans articulate their problems, priorities and indeed, select their government.
  >>To read more please click here.

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• Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari "Turning Point for Tibet"
  In the last few weeks we have witnessed an uprising against the Chinese authorities' repressive policies on the Tibetan plateau, the likes of which we have not seen in a generation. A terrifying crackdown has begun on a scale never seen before in Tibet, in the full glare of the world's attention just months before the Olympics in Beijing.
  >>To read more please click here.

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• Eva Herzer "Will Political Power Defy international Law"
  The United Nations Charter, Covenants and Declarations set forth the internationally agreed upon standards of human ethics and decency necessary to protect the integrity and dignity of individuals and peoples. The current massive uprising of the Tibetan people is a text book example of what happens when the politically powerful defy these standards.
  >>To read more please click here.

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• “China's Fundamental Problem is How to Turn an Empire into a Nation”
  What are the underlying reasons for the present crisis in Tibet and in what ways may it be resolved? Michael Köberlein spoke with development policy consultant Gabriel Lafitte.
  >>To read more please click here.

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• The Status of Tibet in regards to international law
  An interview with Eva Herzer, attorney in Berkeley, California, and co-founder of the International Support Network and the Tibet Justice Center in San Francisco commenting on the current unrest in Tibet in the context of international law.
  >>To read please click here.

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• Rajiv Sikri "India's Tibet Policy: Need for a Change"
  It is time for India to get out of its defensive mindset and timid approach in dealing with China. There are vital national security interests at stake. Relations with China must be handled from a strategic, not a legalistic, perspective. The approach India follows should be multi-dimensional. India does want better relations with China, but it must also evolve a calculated and calibrated policy to put China under some pressure to safeguard its interests and concerns.
  >>To read more please click here.

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• Gabriel Lafitte "Tibet: The Revolt With Memories"
  The Tibetan revolt, like those of two and five decades ago, will be crushed by the overwhelming might of the Chinese military. No match could be more unequal: maroon-clad nuns and monks versus the machinery of oppression of  the global rising power. What is the point of the revolt if it is almost certainly suicical?
  >>To read more please click here.

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• Protests and Conflict Potential in the Tibet Crisis
  Dr. Michael Köberlein, director of the HBF India office, talked to Dr. Dagmar Bernstorff, a Delhi-based German journalist who has worked on the Tibet issue over two decades, about the crisis in Tibet.
  >>Please click here to read the interview (in German only).

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Press release: Tibet: Updated reports and interviews
The Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a longterm partner of the Heinrich Böll Foundation from the beginning of its founding, offers on its website constantly updated information about the current events in Tibet. The TCHRD stands in direct contact with people in Lhasa and the surrounding area and publishes current photos and other recordings.
The Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy was founded in 1996 as the first Tibetan human rights organization in the north Indian town of Dharamsala. It aims at giving the Tibetan exile community an understanding of universal human rights and democracy. The TCHRD is one of the world's most renowned Tibetan exile organizations and is considered as a reliable source of information.
>>For further information please visit the website: http://tchrd.org/ or contact the TCHRD.
>>Contact at the TCHRD: Tenzin Norgay, press office, is available for interviews.  Office number 0091 1892-22 33 63 / 22 92 25 or mobile 0091-94 184 323 03.