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Highest rail line is threat to Indi
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Highest rail line is threat to India, say Tibetans
By Our Correspondent
The Asian Age(New Delhi)
August 31, 2001
The Tibetan government-in -exile said on Friday that China's
ambitious project to build world's highest railway line linking Lhasa to
mainland Gormo posed grave security risk to India. The Dharamsala-based
government also said that the railway project was an attempt at total
absorption of Tibet to China by the Communist government.
The government-in-exile has brought out a report on the railway
project which says that "it will spell the end of Tibet's distinct
cultural identity." The report is the first comprehensive examination of
the impact of the four railway routes in the region.
Apart from the negative impact of the project in the Tibet region,
the minister for information and international relations in central
Tibetan administration, Mr T.C. Thelong, said that the railway line pose
security threat to India.
"With the completion of the railway line, China hopes to increase
the speed of its troop deployment to strengthen its grip on restive
Tibet and secure its total economic and commercial integration with the
mainland to fuel the coastal region's booming economy, " said Mr Tethong
said.
'The project will be built through a permafrost area at 4,000 to
5,000 meters elevation. Some people advised me not to go ahead with the
project because it is not commercially viable,' he added.
Mr Tethong said such a rail project, touching the borders of Bhutan,
Arunachal Pradesh and Burma, could have far-reaching implications for
India's security and economy . "The project will escalate the military
build-up on the Tibetan plateau which will invite an arms race and
stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction in South and Southeast Asia,"
he said. The rail link would greatly facilitate China in its troops
movement toward its western borders(Pakistan), substantially reducing
the cost of such an exercise, he said, adding that it would impinge on
India's national security.
As far as Tibet was concerned it will spell doom, said the minister.
"The study conducted by the government weights the potential benefits
and dangers the railway lines will bring to the Tibetan people. It comes
to the conclusion the negative impact of the railway lines will far
outweigh the advantages," he said. The study says that consequences of
that railway line will be disastrous for Tibet.
Apprehensions have been raised on the three main water bodies of Dri
Chu (Yangtse), Gyamo Ngochu(Salween) and Dzachu (Mekhong) will be
destroyed due to the railway line. The Tibetan minister said that
project will also encourage massive influx of Chinese settles, which
will lead to the marginalistaion of the Tibetans.
The minister said that the Tlibetan government-in-exile was not
opposed to any developmental activities in the region. But he said that
China has never trained Tibetans to carry out skill jobs. "The fact is
that the railway lines, linking Lhasa with three other rail routes, will
facilitate China's population transfer on to the Tilbetan plateau and
exploitation of its untapped natural resources, including hydel power.
It will also signal the end of Tibet's distinct cultural identiy, " he
said. The report _ Chinas's railway project: Where will it take Tilbet:_
also says that it was a political decision by China to go ahead with the
project.
"Constructing the three-billion-dollar rail project was political, and
cited an interview given by the Chinese President Jiang Zemin recently,"
said the minister.
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<center><b><font color="#B068E6"><font size=+2>Highest rail line is threat
to India, say Tibetans</font></font></b></center>
<p><font color="#FF0000"><font size=+1>By Our Correspondent</font></font>
<br><font color="#5AC95A"><font size=+1>The Asian Age</font><b>(New Delhi)</b></font>
<br><b><font color="#009900">August 31, 2001</font></b>
<p> <font size=+1> The Tibetan government-in -exile said
on Friday that China's ambitious project to build world's highest railway
line linking Lhasa to mainland Gormo posed grave security risk to India.
The Dharamsala-based government also said that the railway project was
an attempt at total absorption of Tibet to China by the Communist government.</font>
<br><font size=+1> The government-in-exile has brought
out a report on the railway project which says that "it will spell the
end of Tibet's distinct cultural identity." The report is the first comprehensive
examination of the impact of the four railway routes in the region.</font>
<br><font size=+1> Apart from the negative impact of
the project in the Tibet region, the minister for information and international
relations in central Tibetan administration, Mr T.C. Thelong, said that
the railway line pose security threat to India.</font>
<br><font size=+1> "With the completion of the railway
line, China hopes to increase the speed of its troop deployment to strengthen
its grip on restive Tibet and secure its total economic and commercial
integration with the mainland to fuel the coastal region's booming economy,
" said Mr Tethong said.</font>
<br><font size=+1> 'The project will be built through
a permafrost area at 4,000 to 5,000 meters elevation. Some people advised
me not to go ahead with the project because it is not commercially viable,'
he added.</font>
<br><font size=+1> Mr Tethong said such a rail project,
touching the borders of Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh and Burma, could have
far-reaching implications for India's security and economy . "The project
will escalate the military build-up on the Tibetan plateau which will invite
an arms race and stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction in South and
Southeast Asia," he said. The rail link would greatly facilitate China
in its troops movement toward its western borders(Pakistan), substantially
reducing the cost of such an exercise, he said, adding that it would impinge
on India's national security.</font>
<br><font size=+1> As far as Tibet was concerned it will
spell doom, said the minister. "The study conducted by the government weights
the potential benefits and dangers the railway lines will bring to the
Tibetan people. It comes to the conclusion the negative impact of the railway
lines will far outweigh the advantages," he said. The study says that consequences
of that railway line will be disastrous for Tibet.</font>
<br><font size=+1> Apprehensions have been raised on
the three main water bodies of Dri Chu (Yangtse), Gyamo Ngochu(Salween)
and Dzachu (Mekhong) will be destroyed due to the railway line. The Tibetan
minister said that project will also encourage massive influx of Chinese
settles, which will lead to the marginalistaion of the Tibetans.</font>
<br><font size=+1> The minister said that the Tlibetan
government-in-exile was not opposed to any developmental activities
in the region. But he said that China has never trained Tibetans to carry
out skill jobs. "The fact is that the railway lines, linking Lhasa with
three other rail routes, will facilitate China's population transfer on
to the Tilbetan plateau and exploitation of its untapped natural resources,
including hydel power. It will also signal the end of Tibet's distinct
cultural identiy, " he said. The report _ Chinas's railway project: Where
will it take Tilbet:_ also says that it was a political decision by China
to go ahead with the project.</font>
<br><font size=+1>"Constructing the three-billion-dollar rail project was
political, and cited an interview given by the Chinese President Jiang
Zemin recently," said the minister.</font>
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