To get to an ideal and amicable solution, China has to start with what I just said. They should first allow international journalists to help the people get a real sense of what is happening there rather than using this as an excuse to crackdown on peaceful dissent.

Instead of alleging that the Dalai Lama is trying to send suicide bombers into Tibet, China should allow independent people to go there.

What should India do?

India is a sovereign county and they have spoken about human rights in other places too.

Here also, they should speak about human rights, not because India is a neighbour or because it is host to the Dalai Lama, but as a matter of principle India should speak up both in public and private.

India can say it is tricky because it is a neighbouring country. But they have been talking about Baluchistan. So why can't they talk about Tibet? But they should not mix politics. Whether to keep quiet or speak up should not be decided for political reasons. India has spoken about apartheid... even about West Bank and Gaza. So why are you keeping quiet now is our question. They should speak for basic human rights and push China.

Image: Tibetan activists in exile shout anti-China slogans during the Tibetan Independence Torch Relay in New Delhi. Photograph: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images

Also read: Tibetans try to storm Chinese embassy in Delhi

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