NEW DELHI: Exactly 75 years ago, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) crossed the Jinsha River on 7 October 1950 under the watch of Mao Zedong, President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), to invade Tibet after months of fruitless negotiations and subsequently annex it. This incident has changed the contours of South Asia’s geopolitics in a big way.
Since this forceful annexation of Tibet by the PRC, the human rights situation in Tibet continues to deteriorate each year, with growing numbers of Tibetans unjustly arrested and imprisoned simply for expressing their identity through religion, culture, and language. These freedoms are guaranteed under international human rights law and even within China’s own Constitution, yet they are systematically denied as part of a broader campaign to suppress and assimilate Tibetan identity. New policies and directives have been introduced that effectively criminalise the expression of this Tibetan identity, providing a legal façade to punish Tibetans for simply being who they are.
The Tibetan refugee community in India, led by the Dalai Lama and his Dharamsala-based exile government, also known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), for more than six decades has been calling out the human rights violations being committed by the PRC against the Tibetans living in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). The CTA engages international bodies, governments, and civil society groups to raise awareness of human rights abuses in Tibet. This includes testifying before the UN Human Rights Council and collaborating with human rights NGOs. It compiles and disseminates information on rights violations within Tibet, often relying on testimonies from new arrivals in the exile community. A CTA-affiliated body, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), reports on violations such as enforced disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention.
A core part of the CTA’s mission is to preserve Tibetan culture, language, and religion, which are under threat by the Chinese government’s Sinicisation policies. This is accomplished by running schools, supporting cultural activities, and operating media outlets for the exile community. The CTA works to represent the Tibetan people on the world stage. Its “Middle Way Approach” seeks a peaceful, non-violent resolution with China, aiming for genuine autonomy for all Tibetans under a single administration. The CTA’s own charter is based on democratic principles, guaranteeing rights and freedoms based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This system serves as a model for a future free Tibet.
Continued Oppression in Tibet
Peaceful dissent is routinely suppressed with severe violence. Tibetans are imprisoned for acts such as possessing images of the Dalai Lama, waving the Tibetan flag, or communicating with the outside world. The Chinese government enforces tight control over Tibetan Buddhism and promotes policies to erase Tibetan identity. This includes forced “patriotic re-education,” expulsions from monasteries, and the forced closure of Tibetan-language schools.
Arbitrary detention and torture: Imprisonment often occurs on vague or unspecified charges, without access to legal representation or fair trials. Torture and ill-treatment of detainees are widely reported. The CTA and TCHRD report on numerous cases of Tibetans taken into custody whose whereabouts remain unknown. The most prominent case is that of the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Chockyi Nyima, who was abducted as a child in 1995.
China has implemented forced vocational training and labour programs for rural Tibetans. Critics liken these policies to those targeting Uyghurs in Xinjiang and view them as a means of control and assimilation. The Chinese government monitors, harasses, and intimidates Tibetans living in exile to silence activism abroad. This includes pressuring host governments and threatening relatives back in Tibet.
Tibetan Diaspora Fights Back
The Tibetan diaspora is also fighting back. Tibetans in the UK and US fight against Chinese rule through a variety of non-violent strategies, including protests, lobbying governments, raising awareness, and digital activism. Major organisations like Free Tibet and the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) lead these efforts, advocating for human rights and Tibetan self-determination.
UK-BASED ACTIVISM
London-based organisation Free Tibet is known for coordinating large-scale rallies and protests. In 2008, thousands marched during the Olympic torch relay to protest China’s occupation of Tibet. They have also led campaigns and petitions targeting companies doing business in Tibet. The Office of Tibet in London and the Tibetan community in Britain work to engage the British government and Parliament. In May 2025, an official highlighted the Tibetan struggle in the UK Parliament, urging officials to protect Tibetan rights and counter China’s interference. In early 2025, activists successfully pressured the UK Chancellor to address human rights issues in Tibet during a planned visit to China.Response to Chinese influence: In August 2025, Tibetans and their allies protested against China’s proposed “mega-embassy” in London, fearing it could lead to the harassment of dissidents in the UK.
US-BASED ACTIVISM
The US government has a history of engaging with Tibetan issues through legislation. The most recent is the “Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet China Dispute Act,” signed into law in 2024. It pushes China to re-engage in dialogue with the Tibetan leadership without preconditions. US-based Tibetan youth and other groups, such as the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC), regularly stage demonstrations. In September 2025, they protested outside the UN headquarters in New York to demand independence and global support. Activists use online platforms to amplify their message, counter Chinese disinformation, and reach a global audience. They also employ artistic expression to preserve Tibetan culture and protest its suppression.
India’s Role
Since 1959, for over 60 years, India has given exiled Tibetans shelter. The CTA, also known as the Tibetan government-in-exile, was formed in 1959 and is headquartered in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Tibetans in India have been accommodated by the Indian government in 45 residential settlements across 10 states in the country. There are 50 monasteries across India. Tibetan children are provided free education, and seats are reserved for them in universities.
India has supported the Tibetan democratic movement primarily by providing a haven for the Tibetan government-in-exile, which operates a functioning democratic system on Indian soil. While India formally recognises Tibet as part of China, its relationship with the Tibetan community and its democratic aspirations is complex, balancing humanitarian support with geopolitical caution regarding its ties with China.
