Tibetans urge India to acknowledge role of SFF in protecting sovereignty of the country

Darjeeling: The funeral of braveheart Nyima Tenzin in Leh was a solemn moment for the Tibetans residing in India. Many dubbed Monday's funeral in full public view as the first-ever acknowledgement of the existence of the Special Frontier Forces (SFF) since inception in 1962. Others stated that it is high time that these highly trained warriors be granted equal pay scale and rank promotions as the Indian Army.

India and China have been locking horns in Ladakh since May on the Line of Actual Control. On August 30, an operation had been launched to occupy the Black Top. 51-year-old Nyima Tenzin was martyred in a landmine blast on the south bank of Pangong Tso. Another personnel of the SFF Tenzin Loden was injured in the incident.

Draped in both the Indian tricolour and the Tibetan Snowlion flag, Company Leader Nyima Tenzin was laid to rest amidst full military honours in Leh on Monday. Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav accompanied by BJM MP from Jamyang, Tshering Namgyal was present at the funeral.

"To truly honour martyr Nyima Tenzin's supreme sacrifice in the Black Hill Top victory, India must officially recognize Special Frontier Force for its 58 years of service as India's Himalayan warhorse. India should immediately release equal pay scale and rank promotions that they have been denied till now. SFF's appeal for equal pay is still stuck in an Indian court. The last thing any soldier is made to do is beg for equal rights they deserve," stated Tenzin Tsundue, Tibetan activist and author, while talking to Millennium Post.

Tsundue said that India should also take the lead in halting Chinese aggression in the continent. "When China doesn't respect One-India policy why should India tie its hands with One-China policy? China's biggest weakness is its occupation of Tibet, a country of 2.5 million sq km of land. India must immediately recognize Tibet as an occupied country and dislodge the very basis of China's territorial claims in the Himalayas. This will help Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Burma protect their territorial integrity from Chinese aggression," added Tsundue.

Candlelight vigils and prayer services were observed in many Tibetan settlements on Monday evening as a mark of respect to the martyr.

Incidentally, the SSF also known by names such as Vikas Battalion, Establishment Two-two (22) is one of the finest specialized force of the country. At present, the personnel are mainly recruited from the Tibetan Refugee camps and settlements in India. They are sworn to secrecy.

"My father was in the SFF in the formative years of the force. He had seen action in the Indo-Pak war of 1971 that led to the formation of Bangladesh. After my father's death, my cousins also joined the force. The saddest thing is that the force always remained a ghost force. The martyrs did not even get a hero's send-off. It makes us very happy that the contribution of this elite force is finally being acknowledged," stated a Tibetan youth, requesting anonymity.

The SFF was raised on November 14, 1962. The force then comprised many Tibetan guerillas who had accompanied His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his escape from Tibet. Many of the Tibetan guerilla warriors, trained and armed by the CIA were involved in resistance groups in Chinese occupied Tibet. After coming to India, many joined the 22.

The 22 specialise in high altitude warfare and covert operations. The force is under the direct control of the Cabinet Secretariat and is not part of the Indian Army. Along with covert operations, they have seen action in all major wars of the country.