WHO WE ARE

The Foundation for Non-violent Alternatives (FNVA) is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, public policy organisation, established to undertake the objective study and analysis of India's security that is directly linked with developments in contemporary China and Tibet. 

OUR BASIC PRINCIPLES 

FNVA’s principles are grounded in the belief that every cultural and religious tradition has appropriate non-violent methods for positive political, economic and social change at the local, national and the international level. Importance of food, shelter, health, opportunities for a livelihood and a clean environment for our future generations cannot be denied as these are aspects that are essential elements for our existence, as is rule of law, peace and respect for diversity and dignity of the individual in his political, social, economic, religious and cultural rights. 

WHAT WE DO

FNVA is a significant organisation for the objective study of Tibet, Tibetan affairs and their related security implications for India. Our work is primarily focused on policy and decision makers in government, and politics with the objective to draw the government’s immediate attention on its policy on China, Tibet, Taiwan, Southern Mongolia and East Turkestan and eventually influence and help shape policy in this area, through dialogue, webinars, seminars, research, translation of original materials in mandarin to english, policy briefs and publications.

Developments taking place on the Tibet have direct geo-political implications for India as well as for its future Tibet policy. It is evident that the frenzy of development both infrastructure, military and economic is not directed at uplifting Tibetans, but rather it is an attempt to consolidate and validate their occupation of Tibet, and through it, to strengthen its presence in the region and on India’s border. Tibet is a national security issue for India. It has both domestic and external implications. Internally, India needs an action plan to deal with about 1,00,000 Tibetan refugees in India. Externally, Tibet is the resource of waters for Indian rivers, and is of immense geo-strategic importance being located contiguous to the entire Himalayan belt, where, in places, Chinese are making steady inroads in terms of influence. The problems between India and China cannot be discussed without involving Tibet.

Thus, Tibet and the Indo-Tibet border issue, China’s encroachment and active economic and military engagement in India’s neighbourhood and more recently transboundary river water issue, are the main foreign relations concerns of  India vis-à-vis China. While, in 2018, Chinese officials, diplomats and members of the Chinese Government (controlled) think-tanks have listed the following main items of concern, these are in order of priority: 1)Dalai Lama and Tibet issue 2) The border dispute with India, and c) India’s Geo-political ambitions. 

With the occupation of Tibet for over seventy years, the preservation of  its rich and unique cultural and civilisational heritage is under serious threat. The onus therefore lies on those living in freedom to undertake the responsibilities in whatever manner to ensure Tibet’s culture, environment,  its rich heritage as well as the rights of the individual under international law are protected. This also applies to peoples of the occupied territories of Southern Mongolia and Eastern Turkestan. Peace policies therefore must examine and bring to the fore the unjust pillage of natural resources, oppression of peoples, violation of human rights and support ethical business.