SHADOW CIRCUS: THE CIA IN TIBET
Posted on : February 27, 2025Author : Lahari Bandyopadhyay
Tibet, located on the immediate northern side of the Himalayas, is well known for its high altitude, architecture, cuisine and for being devoutly Buddhists. Besides the fact that they have been occupied by Communist China, the series of events that led to the accusation and the subsequent incidents are lesser-known facts. In 1951, through the Seventeen Point Agreement signed by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tibet came under the control of People’s Republic of China. The Tibetan Uprising took place in 1959 where thousands of Tibetans took up arms against the Communist China’s occupation. The Shadow Circus: The CIA in Tibet (1998), directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, explores the series of events, history of the long guerilla warfare and the interventions of the Central Intelligence Agency of USA, between 1956 to 1974.
The film showcases the complex narratives through interviews, archival footage and insights of Tibetans in exiles with a focus on their struggle for autonomy. The directors’ approach is investigative combining historical and political facts with the personal stories of the people involved in the resistance. Also, the background music creates an ambience. The film starts with the scene of a Buddhist monastery with a very common traditional Buddhist music in the background. CIA’s financial and armed support especially after the escape of Dalai Lama to India in 1959, its longest running operation ST Circus and subsequent withdrawal in 1969, have been highlighted, emphasizing both the hope and betrayal felt by the Tibetans who believed that CIA would help them gain freedom. The juxtaposition between the war and refugee situation in Tibet and a posh, developed and peaceful region of the USA is an interesting aspect of the film. Similarly, the movie provides important context about USA-Tibet relationship, which is not part of the mainstream discussion in International Relations.
The film showcased political complexities, but the commendable part is its ability to humanize the political narratives by including the experiences of individuals and the moral compromises made by those who participated directly in the resistance. The archive footages and also the interviews of the resistance fighters reveal the conceptions about Tibet and the CIA. Interviews with the CIA officers who were part of the operation, revealed the stance of USA. At one point they were discussing the incidents and how they were cooperating with the Tibetans with arms, training them and parachuting them, at another point, they were also justifying the withdrawal of CIA from Tibet since such operations could not go on forever.
The documentary also challenges the established narrative that believes in the fundamental non-violent nature of the Tibetans. When it came to their freedom, armed resistance was focused upon. An interview of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama revealed that if the motivation and the goal is good, then the method, even if it is violent is permissible. But in their case, he reveals that they were uncertain of whether violence would be practical or not against such a large Chinese army. When the army started attacking the monasteries, the Khampa tribesmen in Eastern Tibet finally revolted. Underground organizations were formed thereafter in Lhasa. Their representatives came to India to gather support. On 31 March, 1959, after the approval of PM Jawaharlal Nehru to the message sent by a CIA official, the Dalai Lama, after a 19 days trek, finally crossed the border and came to India for asylum. Afterwards, the CIA changed its plans and supported and funded a strong military base at Mustang.
What the film focuses on is the never-ending resilience of the people who were prepared to even give up their life for the freedom of Tibet. Most of them were left heartbroken when CIA started acting otherwise, before its withdrawal. A commander at the Mustang Resistance Force claimed that the aid made them happy initially but later on they started getting problems, when the USA asked for immediate results. The CIA were sent intelligence but all they wanted were proofs. For instance, ID numbers of each Chinese army killed, license number for each vehicles destroyed. Basically, information without evidence was useless but gathering each and every minute details was getting difficult for them. The Mustang Force was able to attempt successful attacks many times afterwards, but the CIA ordered the guerillas not to attack Chinese army anymore and instead limit their operation to intelligence gathering only. In 1969, the CIA abruptly announced its withdrawal from the resistance after USA’s foreign policy changed to ensure diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. They gave verbal assurance to the Tibetans but there was clear indication of reluctance to cooperate anymore.
While the documentary is appealing, at certain points the pace felt a little slower. It might be because of a few monotonous archival materials and lots of interviews which may not engage all kinds of viewers. Also, why the operation was named as ST Circus and how the name was related to the operation is not made clear. Another important observation is that the entire documentary didn’t show any women’s participation in the guerilla war. Even if, possibly, there might not be women who directly participated in the war, but their lives are a great part of the sacrifices made during wartime, because even if men made war, women have been the worst sufferers starting from losing the male members to bearing family burden and in worst cases, becoming victims of rape and murder by the enemy as a form of revenge. Therefore, it would have been more appealing if interviews of women involved there was also included. Apart from that, the film has a lot of details and its commitment to accuracy is commendable. People who engage with disciplines of International Relations would benefit from the fact that it sheds light on a lesser-known yet a crucial part of history that holds significance till today. Therefore, it can be concluded that keeping in mind the fact that Tibet still continues to be a colony of China, the film holds its significance in showcasing the human cost of global politics and the struggle for freedom even in 21st century.
Film name: The Shadow Circus: The CIA In Tibet
Director: Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Documentary
Released on: 1998
Duration: 49 minutes
References-
- White Crane Films. (2023, Aug 10). Shadow Circus: CIA in Tibet| A film by Tenzing Sonam & Ritu Sarin [Video]. https://youtu.be/15U6LioToj8?feature=shared
Lahari Bandyopadhyay
Intern, Asia in Global Affairs
The views and opinions expressed in this book review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Asia in Global Affairs. The review is intended for academic and informational purposes only. It is not an endorsement of any particular viewpoint, nor is it intended to malign any individual, group, organization, company, or government.
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