A Fight to Freedom

"Tibet today is one of the most repressed and closed society in the world"
                                                   

                    - Senator Robert Menedez, 

 Chair of US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations 2012  

Today, the campaign for "Free Tibet" has gained greater momentum. It is a movement for the independence of Tibet and political separation of Tibet from the People's Republic of China. And, it is led and supported by the Tibetan Diaspora in countries like India, US, Europe. In 1949, China invaded Tibet resulting in the deaths and the torture of the Tibetan folks.. 
Since the Chinese invasion, human rights in Tibet have been a contentious political issue. Human rights abuses in post 1950 Tibet include restricted freedom of religion, belief and association. Specific abuses include arbitrary arrest and maltreatment in custody, including torture. Freedom of the Press is still absent and its media is tightly controlled by Chinese leadership. A series of reports published in late 1980s claimed that China was forcing Tibetans to adhere strict birth control programs that included forced abortions, sterilizations and even infanticide. According to a UN report regarding the adoption of its Tibetan resolution in 1965, the Chinese occupation of Tibet had been characterized by acts of murder, rape and arbitrary imprisonment; torture and cruel, inhuman and degraded treatment of Tibetans on large scale. Since 1949, the Chinese have destroyed over 6000 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and shrines. By 1978, only 8 monasteries and 970 monks and nuns remained and till date 99% of Tibet's monasteries remain closed. Since the invasion, China has killed an estimated 1 million Tibetans. Though the "Tibet issue" has two sided views, the Tibetan view and the Chinese view, most countries stand by the Tibetan view. Dalai Lama; the Tibetan spiritual leader fled from Tibet after several failed uprisings in Tibet seeking refuge in India and went across the spreading his message for the independence of Tibet. And that is how the issue Free Tibet gained a worldwide base. Then, in 1989 Dalai Lama received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Dalai Lama has built strong relation with the US. Recently Dalai Lama had talks with US President over Tibet issue, to which China alleged US to be anti-Chinese. Even though the future of Tibet seems bleak and the hope of independent Tibet seems rather based on a weak foundation, large populace still dreams of the image of Free Tibet and they fight fearlessly for it everyday.

Chemela Bhutia