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Why does Tibet want independence from China? How about a similar question. Why did America want its independence from England in 1776? The people of Tibet consider themselves politically, ethnically and culturally different from the Chinese. Although basically a peaceful and religious people, they have always protested the occupation of their land by Chinese military forces for the past half-century.

After the Communists took over in 1949, the official policy of the country's new, hard-line government was that Tibet had historically been a traditional part of China, and should thus be absorbed and forced to live under the the dictates of the conqueror. This harsh and brutal control has been in effect ever since.

A recent example of the continuing claim the Chinese have on Tibet is the anger of Beijing about what they consider American interference. In October 2007, the US government awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor to the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama. His citiation included American sympathy and admiration for his continuing fight for the Buddhist nation's independence.

This brought on the official protest from the Beijing government. China considers the action wrong and insisted that the US would "correct its mistakes and cancel relevant arrangements and stop interfering in the internal affairs of China by any means." It is highly unlikely that the US Congress would ever vote to rescind the award.

The Chinese Communist government in China, as Soviet rulers had elsewhere in Europe, has a long history of trying to stamp out all religious influences. However, since the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991, all religions, including Buddhism, have come back very strong throughout the world, including in China.

Why does Tibet want its independence? When Chinese occupiers came in, they brutally forced Tibetan officials out of office and brought in Chinese bureaucrats. Many of Tibet's intellectual and religious leaders went into exile, as did the Dalai Lama, while those who could not escape were imprisoned, tortured or killed.

After the occupiers failed to erase the Buddhist religion in Tibet, in a lame attempt to placate the Tibet people, China set up their own version of the religion, naming an approved puppet leader they called the Panchen Lama. He was never taken seriusly, and the Dalai Lama, whose travels in exile have given him considerable international status, is still considered the nation's spiritual leader.

While China still occupies Tibet, in recent years there has been a glimmer of hope for eventual independence. After the passing of the hard-line, old Maoist leaders, the new administrators in Beijing have gradually brought their nation out of the worst grip of oppressive, totalitarian government. They are showing encouraging progress in giving more freedon and opportunity to their own people.

With China's amazing economic explosion of the past decade, it has allowed capitalism to flourish at home, and is healing its relationships with the world's democracies. It is possible that, like when fading Soviet Russia released its grip on its neighbors 15 years ago, China will find it beneficial to free the people of Tibet.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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