by Evelyn Blaken

Created on: October 29, 2008

Political Unrest in Tibet

Recent political unrest in Tibet stems from China's government organised invasion of Tibet by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1950. Half a century ago, Chinese troops invaded Tibet, bringing a sudden and violent end to Tibet's isolation beyond the borders of the Himalayas. Tibet's unique type of Buddhism, forming the core of Tibetan culture and society has been a particular source of conflict. It is a radical contrast to the atheistic and materialist dogma of the Chinese communism.

Under the Chinese occupation, Tibetan's have been denied most of the rights that are guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the rights to self-determination, freedom of speech, assembly, movement, expression and travel. China continually employs the use of excessive military force to control those who attempt to exercise these rights. Their methods have included multiple cases of arbitrary arrests, political imprisonment, torture and execution and human rights groups have documented at least 60 deaths of peaceful demonstrators since 1987.

Human rights groups have confirmed over 700 named Tibetan political prisoners in Tibet, and there are likely to be hundreds more whose names have not been confirmed. Most of these political prisoners have been and continue to be detained without charge or trial for up to four years. The Chinese government is able to do this through administrative regulations entitled "re-education through labor". Credible reports of mistreatment and torture of those detained and imprisoned in Tibet are widespread, including beatings, shocks with electric batons, sleep or food deprivation, exposure to cold and other brutalities. Human rights and humanitarian organizations are denied access to these prisons and the detention centers in Tibet where they are being held (International Campaign for Tibet). The reasons for these arrests can include printing political leaflets, shouting reactionary slogans, encouraging reactionary singing, hoisting or possessing the Tibetan flag, participating in demonstrations and/or showing allegiance to the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama

'Dalai' is a Mongolian word meaning 'Ocean', a translation of the Tibetan name 'Gyato' (the Dalai Lama is called his forst name followed by Gyato). Whilst 'Lama' is the Tibetan equivalent of the Sanskrit word 'guru', commonly translated to mean 'spiritual teacher' Putting the terms together, the full title is "Ocean Teacher" meaning

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