Robert W. Ford

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This article is about a British radio operator and diplomat. For other people named Robert Ford, see Robert Ford.

Robert W. Ford was a radio operator who worked in Tibet in the 50' and a diplomat of UK born at Burton-on-Trent on 27 March 1923.

Robert Ford was one of the few westerners to be appointed by the Government of Tibet at the time independent Tibet before the Chinese invasion of 1950. He spent five years in Tibet, and declared he "had the opportunity to witness and experience at first hand the reality of Tibetan independence."^[1]

Robert Ford was a radio technician of the Royal Air Force during World War II and worked in England and in India. In 1945, he joined the British Mission in Lhasa, as a Radio officer and had an audience with the 14 year old 14th Dalai Lama in Lhasa. The same year he was transferred to Gangtok, Sikkim, where he worked for British India relations with Tibet. When India became independence in 1947, Robert Ford returned to Lhasa and was appointed by the Government of Tibet and was the first foreigner to be given an official rank in Tibet. Following one year in Lhasa, he was requested to go to Chamdo, capital of eastern Tibet (Kham), to establish a radio link between Lhasa and Chamdo, which he realized successfully. In 1949 Robert Ford and three wireless operator students were sent to Chamdo. They helped the Governor General of Kham, Lhalu Tsewang Dorje‎, improving defense in Chamdo and around. In addition, a direct link was established for the first time between Lhasa and Chamdo. Early 1950, Lhalu requested Ford to shorten the formation of the wireless operator students, for instaling wireless stations at the frontier. At that time, new arrival of arms and instructors arrived and training in the use of Bren guns. Robert Ford wrote that `the Tibetan Army began to look a little less like something out of the Middle Ages'.^[2]

He was arrested in 1950 by the invading Chinese army, along with Governor General of Kham, Ngabo Ngawang Jigme, and other Tibetan officials. The People's Republic of China wrongly accused him of espionage, spreading anti-communist propaganda and murder of Geda Lama. He spent nearly 5 years in jail, in constant fear of being executed, and was subjected to interrogation and thought reform. Only the in 1954 was he allowed to send a letter to his parents. End of 1954 his trial was held and he was sentenced to ten years jail. He was eventually released and expelled in 1955.^[3]

In 1990, he published a book "Captured in Tibet" about his experience in Tibet.

In 1956 he was appointed at the British Diplomatic Service and served in the Foreign Office in London, Vietnam, Indonesia, United States, Morocco, Angola, Sweden, France and finally as Consul-General in Geneva. He retired in 1987 and was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire.^[4]

[edit] Bibliography

Captured in Tibet, Publisher: Oxford Univ Press, September 1990, ISBN 019581570X
Wind Between the Worlds: Captured in Tibet , Publisher: SLG Books, ISBN: 0961706694
« Tibet Rouge, Capturé par l’armée chinoise au Kham » Olizane, 1999; ISBN 2-88086-241-8