China and the Repression of Tibet-Period 5, Christian, Andrew, Evan

Tibet was once a very diverse nation and maintained its own government, religion, language and law under the Dalai Lama. Over the century it has been sought out by Imperialist nations such as China, Mongolia and Britain. Until 1949, Tibet was a fully independent nation (since 1911). On October 7th, 1950, the newly Chinese Communist government quickly invaded Tibet, whose Guerrilla tactics and poor defences could not withhold. China began a full military scale occupation of hundreds of thousands of troops.

The Tibetan government was overthrown and replaced with a puppet government controlled by the Chinese Police. Tibet was an important device to control for China in their imperialist ambitions for economic and strategic reasons. They installed a railway from China to the capital, Lhasa to further exploit Tibet's resources (natural) and will increase the amount of immigrants (chinese) and militarization of the area. China's government exclaims that it has installed health and educational benefits, but most Tibetans do not have access to this conditions.

"Over 100,000 refugees through the Nanga Pa pass (1959)"

Chinese invasion marked the end of civil rights for Tibet. Repression of religion and culture continues today as well. Chinese justification rests on their explanation as saving Tibet from imperialism, and a brutal fuedal (serf) system in a "peaceful" liberation. On the contrary, in an uprising in 1959, over 87k Tibetan citizens were killed. With a population of about 6 million, almost 1.2 million have died since then. China points out that Tibet signed the Seventeen point agreement, although in truth the puppet government was forced them to sign it. This document stated that Tibetan soveriegnty was given to China. Due to persecution and lack of course lack of good education/rights, as many as 3,500 people go into exile to flee Tibet by going over the Himalayas.

The most alarming section of Chinese occupation is the denial of basic Civil rights to Tibet. This includes freedom of speech, press, association, religion and travel. Over 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples were destroyed during the Chinese invasion. Tibet's political and religious identity were overthrown, taking in political enemies or religious leaders who pose a threat as prisoners. The punishment for peaceful resistance is 10-30 years in prison, where torture is allowed.

Tibet is home and shares its border's with the Himlayan mountains. Their fragile environment is being threatened, or has already been, by China's exploitation. All five rivers of Asia begin in Tibet, where they flow down 14,000 feet. Nearly half the population lives in the basin. Chinese deforestation has been linked to major flooding downstream, to the Yangtze in China. Tibet is also home to many endangered species, such as the snow leopard and blue sheep. But because of the mining of resources, land degration, and hunting, their ecosystems are being destroyed.