Personal Recollections
Basudev Sharma Tufan, a former diplomat and Chinese language expert, writes his recollections about his assignments, life and career
By KESHAB POUDEL
In its long history, China remains a key factor in the course of Nepal 's independence and its influence, though limited, has always been there. Whether in the past or present, strong and powerful China has always stood for independence of Nepal .
In the last five decades, many Nepalese diplomats completed their assignments in China in different capacities but only a few such former diplomats and high-level government officials have written down their experiences. A decade after the formal retirement from the government service, Basudev Sharma Tufan, who spent almost all his career in the China desk of Nepal and served as a good interpreter to Nepalese leaders including the King, comes out with a book revealing many important aspects of Nepal-China relations.
Although Dor Bahadur Bista, former counselor general to Lhasa , wrote his experiences of staying in Lhasa , Tufan's book includes the experiences of working in capital of China as well as capital of Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. Tufan also describes how he used to spend his time back in the Ministry preparing for the foreign visitors.
From Chinese leader Mao to Chao-En-Lai and King Mahendra to B.P. Koirala and King Birendra to Girija Prasad Koirala, Tufan, who retired as Charge d' Affaires in Thailand back in 1992, made their discussion possible through his expert interpretation.
His book consists of diverse experiences including cultural, religious, political, economical and social issues of China . The book includes Tufan's early childhood as a radical student and his imprisonment for opposing foreign invasion.
On relations with Nepal 's two big neighbors Tufan holds the view that small countries need to see the issue of big neighbors. Nepal 's relations with southern neighbor are not cordial because there is a lack of mutual trust. Nepal 's southern neighbor tries to bully its neighbor even in petty matters. So far as the relations with China are concerned, the relations are cordial and there are no problems between Nepal and China . Divided by Himalayas , Nepal and China relations is always cordial, he views.
So far the relations with China are concerned, Nepal doesn't have to involve too much with China . They have clear policy and we need not try to irritate them. Chinese supports and cooperation do not have any condition and selfish motives. When Nepal asked some assistance to hold South Asian Federation Games, Chinese agreed to build the infrastructures.
Some Interesting Excerpts of the Book
- When I met then Indian ambassador Shyam Saran (now foreign secretary to India) - I knew him while he served in Indian Embassy in Beijing - in a wedding party, I presented arguments with him that India will benefit much more than Nepal after completion of Rasuwa-Kerung highway linking Tibet. I put my argument on the ground that India - which even opposed construction of ring road in Kathmandu - should not oppose it. India 's demand for transit facility via Kodari seems to be a proposal for future trade with China via Rasuwa-Kodari road. Actually I convinced then prime minister Girija Prasad
Koirala the need to open this highway. Koirala agreed on my points and proposed with Chinese leader. (Page 102)
- Before King Mahendra's visit to China in 1961, Chinese foreign ministry requested Nepalese Embassy in Peking the exact number of hair in the moustache of image of tiger inscribed on the King's flag? The Chinese examined three flags that had 12, 13, and 14 hairs in the mustache. The Nepalese Embassy forwarded the request to the Ministry but nobody knew about the exact number. I still believe that the number of hair on the tiger’s moustache is yet to be decided.(Page 127)
- In 1969 when then Indian foreign secretary Dinesh Singh was scheduled to visit to Nepal , the government proposed sightseeing in Patan. But, the Indian side requested us to cancel the sightseeing showing security concern arguing that Patan was a stronghold of Naxalites. Had the program been cancelled on security ground just few kilometers away from capital, it would have sent a bad message regarding law and order situation in the country. Realizing these implications, we discussed the matter with Nepalese security officials. Finally, we guaranteed security in Patan and the Indian official visited Patan. (Page 120)
- Since one of the agenda of bilateral talks during the second visit to Nepal by Chinese prime minister Chao-En-Lai in 1960 was bilateral border issue, Nepalese proposed Pokhara as a quite and isolated venue for bilateral talks on border issue. Chinese security officials, however, saw the venue as unsafe (small aircraft and unpredictable weather) and requested their Prime Minister Chao-En-Lai to cancel the visit. But, Chinese prime minister argued that if prime minister Koirala - who was boarding with me - was safe, why was I unsafe? And he went to Pokhara. I saw a remarkable photograph taken during the Pokhara visit in which Nepalese prime minister B.P. Koirala and Chinese premier face each other in a small wooden boat with a very small space. When Chinese audience saw the picture of such boating in Television, they were shocked as well as surprised. Actually, Pokhara was barren, peaceful and lovely place at that time. This was the period when I was student in Peking . (Page 96)
- There was also interesting story about an American named Berry Bishop - who was permitted to station in Jumla – who came to Nepal in conducting research on local bug. Bishop also asked us for a permission to join British expedition team for Kanjiroba Mountain . Knowing that he was using unauthorized communication devices, we decided not to permit him for climbing. Even American and British Embassies protested to our decision and threatened to stop aid to Nepal . Then foreign minister Kirtinidhi Bista and foreign secretary Yedunath Khanal backed us. We did not allow Bishop to join the team and the US and British did not suspend their assistance. It was a peak time of 1970s’ Khampa uprising in Tibet . There were reports that Bishop was sent here to support Khampa rebellion. (Page 58)
Although the book is written in Nepali language, it consists of all interesting experiences of Tufan's assignment in foreign countries and frank revelation about his life. As his name Tufan (powerful wind like Typhoon), the book has so many powerful and interesting things to read for Nepalese.
