Tibet

The Central Asian territory of Tibet, home to the mainly Buddhist Tibetan people, is run as an autonomous region of China. Chinese communist troops invaded the remote Himalayan region known as the ‘roof of the world’ in 1950.

Under Chinese rule Tibetans endure severe restrictions of their freedom of religion, expression and association. They also suffer discrimination in employment.

Authorities have detained and imprisoned many Tibetans, including Buddhist monks and nuns, for practising their religion or expressing their opinions. Dozens remain in prison.

China continues to use excessive force against Tibetans seeking to flee the repression within their homeland. Tibet’s head of state and spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama lives in exile in northern India.

In March this year dozens of people were reportedly killed in unrest in the region’s capital, Lhasa. The conflict, which began on the anniversary of the 1959 uprising against Chinese rule, is the most serious to occur in the region for decades.

For more information on the issues in Tibet visit the Australian Tibet Council’s website or the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.