From Then to Now: Tibet’s Struggle for Freedom

1112 Words5 Pages
From Then to Now: Tibet’s Struggle for Freedom by Hayley Von Normann Tibet is known for its wondrous mountains, beauty, and the unique, culture-rich people that live there--but many people do not know of the story behind what they see, and the real situation in Tibet. It first began in 1949, when the People’s Liberation Army of the PRC began to invade Tibet, this was when Mao Zedong first came into power. He wanted to “peacefully liberate” Tibet, and sending his army there, Tibet was practically theirs in a short amount of time. In 1951, the Chinese government imposed the “17-Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet” on the Tibetans; it was signed only from pressure and fear. Tibet became an Autonomous Region of China, and has been since that day. As time passed, resistance against the Chinese occupation rose, and in result the Chinese repression increased a great amount too. This repression includes the imprisonment of monks and other leaders, the destruction of religious building and many other worse things. The Dalai Lama fled to India, where he presently leads the Tibetan government-in-exile. Human rights are constantly violated in Tibet today still, and they yearn to be free. Acts such as self-immolation, exiling to India or Nepal, and constant uprising are common. The question is, then, will Tibet be free? On September 30, 2006, a group of seventy-five Tibetans attempted to leave Tibet to Nepal from Nangpa Pass. It was winter at that time, and as they moved slowly through the deep snow, suddenly, nearby Chinese border patrol police began shooting at them. Kelsang Namtso, a seventeen-year-old nun, was hit by a bullet and killed immediately. Many others were injured, and thirty-two of them were taken into custody. Although later released, they had been tortured and went
Open Document