About Tibet
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
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In October 1950 the Chinese Communist Party invaded Tibet. The Chinese occupation culminated in their violent crackdown of 1959 Tibetan uprising in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. With the 14th Dalai Lama fleeing to India, the Tibetans’ plight for nearly 75 years continued.
Of the estimated 6.5-8 million Tibetans worldwide, almost half of them live outside the Autonomous Region of Tibet and are scattered all over the world. Tibetans recognize the Dalai Lama as their spiritual leader and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile as the political authority. Both are based in Dharamsala, India.
The Tibetan people are struggling to uphold their culture and identity. Inside and outside of Tibet. And it is becoming more and more difficult.
Inside Tibet, implemented Chinese policies, such as those related to education and economic development, often fail to adequately consider or incorporate Tibetan cultural norms and values. Tibetans who displayed the Tibetan flag or publicly expressed their support for the Dalai Lama were arrested and sentenced. Tibetan Buddhism is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and monks and nuns have been subjected to surveillance and restrictions on their religious practices.
Outside Tibet, the traditional Tibetan freedom movement is struggling to draw attention in the ever faster news cycle. This is why we began looking for an additional way of going forward for Tibet: We are building NEW TIBET, which will be the free, digital community network for Tibetans and our friends.