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Synopsis "The Suzeranity of China over Tibet is a Constitutional Myth, a Frace" said Lord Curzon A dispassionate study of History reveals that China never (never) had any undisputed Suzeranity over Tibet.  Tibet Has always been a free country, a sovereign State: In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the then dominant powers; Russia, Great Britain and Japan, all suspicious of each other's aims and designs, sent in spies to Tibet to gain knowledge for possible confrontation.  This was the Big Game: Russia sent in Nicholas Mikhailovich Prjevalski who led four expeditions in 1870-85.  Lt Peter Kozlov and Lt V Roborousky led clandestine missions to add to the knowledge gained by Prjewalski.  Then came Aguan Dorijiev, with ten aliases, who went in as a Lama, gained access to the Dalai Lama and convinced him that the Czar was a Buddhist at heart.  His activities and frequent visits to Russia and back worried the British a great deal.  The Japanese spy, a Buddhist monk, Ekai Kawaguchi spent three years in Tibet disguised as a Chinese Lama.  The British sent in a large number of spies.  Thomas Moorcroft and Hearsey were sent in as early as 1812 disguised as feqirs.  In 1846 Lt strachey and JE Winterbottom explored Western Tibet and Kailas Winterbottom explored Western Tibet and Kailas Manasarovar.  From 1863 to the end of the 19th Century the British sent in spies disguised as lamas, merchants, menials etc.  They were nicknamed as Pandits.  The notable Spies (Pandits) were Nain Singh, Mani Singh, Rai Bahadur Kishan Singh Milamwal, Sarat Chander Dass and Kintup.  This was followed by the famous Younghusband expedition in 1903-1904 to Lhasa, with losses of human lives on both sides.  And then the bigger game started: China had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Japanese in 1895.  China was weak and prostrate.  The dominant powers realized that it was much better to extract concessions from China than vie for the supremacy of the arid plateau of Tibet.  Consequently Britain consolidated her hold on Hongkong and extracted extensive trading concessions.  Russia extended her South East borders, biting off Chinese territory and a chance to extend the Great Siberian Railways to Tibet.  In turn Russia and Britain entered into a treaty conferring the Suzeranity of China over Tibet.  Due to reasons best known to them, USA endorsed this arrangement.  None of these Self Seekers even consulted Tibet about this matter.  The then weak China has now become a monstrous military power out to assert the so called suzerainty by the Force of Arms and destroy Tibetan Society with a unique culture, infact a veritable World Heritage Site.  The big powers, USA, Russia and Great Britain, the authors of this human tragedy are more interested in their trade ties with China than help Tibet against this ruthless persecution.