| Tibetan
Authorities Refuse Peace Negotiations and the PLA Is forced to Fights
in Qamdo
The pro-imperialist separatists in the Tibetan government headed
by the Prince Regent Dagiha absolutely refused all principles and
measures proposed by the Central Government for the peaceful liberation
of Tibet and did their upmost to impede the Central Government's
efforts to mediate a settlement. They assembled 8,000 soldiers of
the Tibetan army and local militias in Qamdo and along the western
bank of the Jinshajiang River in an attempt to halt the advance
of the PLA into Tibet. In early October 1950, several days after
the deadline set by the Central Government for Tibet to send a delegation
to Beijing, the PLA Southwest Military Area engaged with the Tibetan
troops at Qamdo. With the assistance of the local Tibetan people,
the PLA liberated Qamdo on October24. routing the main force of
the Tibetan army. This created favorable conditions for the peaceful
liberation of Tibet.
During the Qamdo Battle, Dege Galsang Wangdu, a Tibetan army brigade
commander, was stationed in Ningjing (Mangkam), responded to the
call of the Central Government for the peaceful liberation of Tibet,
and led his 380 soldiers in a mutiny. Qamdo Superintendent Ngapoi
Ngawang Jigmei contacted the advancing PLA troops and ordered his
army of 2,700 to lay down their arms. All these contributed greatly
to the PLA victory in the Qamdo Battle and paved the way for the
peaceful liberation of Tibet.
The liberation of Qamdo was a telling blow to the pro-imperialist
separatists in the Tibetan government, smashing the plots of the
imperialists, inspiring the patriotic spirit of the people and creating
favorable conditions for liberation. From a military standpoint,
this was the opportune moment for the PLA to continue its advance
into Tibet. However as the CPC Central Committee and Central People's
Government persisted in the principle of peacefully liberating Tibet,
the PLA was ordered to stop remain at Qamdo and await the arrival
of the delegation from Tibet.
After the liberation of Qamdo, the Southwest Military and Political
Committee and the Southwest Military Area jointly promulgated the
Ten-Section Notice on the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet in Chinese
and Tibetan languages. The content is as follows:
1.The Tibetan people shall unite to expel the aggressive powers
of British and American imperialism from Tibet and to return to
the PRC family.
2.Tibet shall implement the national regional autonomy.
3.The existing political system in Tibet shall be maintained.
The status and power of the Dalai Lama shall not be changed, and
various local officials continue to hold official posts.
4.The system of freedom of religious belief shall be implemented
in Tibet, Lamaseries subject to State protection and the Tibetan
people's customs, habits and religious beliefs respected.
5.The existing military system in Tibet shall be maintained, with
the Tibetan military forces becoming part of the national defense
army of the People's Republic of China.
6.Tibet shall be encouraged to develop its own language, script
and school education.
7.Tibet shall be encouraged to develop agriculture, animal husbandry,
industry and commerce, and improve the living standards of its people.
8.Overall reform shall be done in light of the will of the Tibetan
people through consultation with the Tibetan people and officials.
9.Officials who were pro-British, pro-US or ro-KMT in the past
may remain in their official posts, so long as they can sever these
relations and stop opposing the Central Government and conducting
sabotaging activities. They will not be punished for their former
crimes.
10. The PLA shall enter Tibet for strengthened national defense.
They will follow the above-mentioned policies. At the same time.
they shall follow the policy of buying and selling goods at reasonable
prices and not taking things from the local people. The expense
of the PLA shall be financed by the Central People's Government.
The no1ice immediately calmed the local people. In addition to
spreading the notice written in Tibetan to the areas west of the
Jinshajiang River. the PLA sent work teams to the more remote regions
where herders and farmers lived. explaining the policics and principles
of the PLA. Meanwhile, they released the Officers and soldiers of
the Tibetan forces and allowed pilgrims to travel to Lhasa.
The Qanido campaign annihilated the major force of the Tibetan
army. This shocked the Tibetan government. The proimperialists .
with Prince Regent Dagiha at the core. began to panic. They met
to plan hot failed to produce countermeasures. Struggle between
those for armed retaliation and for a negotiated peace became fierce
and the ruling group Nplit. Prince Regent Dagiha, who had ruled
Tibet for 10 years, was forced to resign. On November 17,1950, the
14th Dalai Lama took over the governing of Tibet. Although the pro-imperialist
separatists of the Dagzha clique suffered serious setbacks, they
were not reconciled to defeat. In the Ninall hours of December 19,
1950, they kidnapped the IS-year-old 14th Dalai Lana to Yadong waiting
for a chance to cross the border into India, This raised the public
concern. Delegates from the three Iargest monasteries in Lhasa traveled
to Yadong, demanding the Dalai return. Some on the upper ruling
class voicod opposition to the 14th Dalai Lama's leaving Tibet and
called for negotiations with the Central Government.
|