News & Resources

Statement by His Holiness the Dalai Lama I am deeply saddened and concerned with the worsening situation in East Turkestan (Xinjiang), especially with the tragic loss of lives. I earnestly urge the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with the situation in a spirit of understanding and far-sightedness. I offer my prayers for those […]

Dangerous Crossings 2007-8 details new developments for Tibetans in Nepal from 2007 until the present, documenting the insecurity and danger for Tibetans in transit from Tibet to India, and for long-staying Tibetan refugees in Nepal. The reports support the proposition that resolving difficulties for Tibetans in Nepal would also serve the interests of the Nepalese […]

KATHMANDU: The wave of protests against Chinese rule that began in Tibet in March 2008 and the resulting crackdown transformed the political landscape – and made a dramatic impact on the situation for Tibetans across the border in Nepal. In an attempt to prevent pro-Tibet protests in Nepal, the Chinese authorities stepped up their efforts […]

China has made a mockery of its commitment to the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review process, Human Rights Watch said today. At a June 11 Human Rights Council meeting to adopt the “Outcome Report on China,” part of a required review process for all member states, the Chinese government rejected, without exception, 70 […]

The world’s highest railroad across the Tibetan plateau to Lhasa (completed in July 2006) is the most high-profile symbol of Beijing’s ambitious plans to develop the western regions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As an indispensable element of Beijing’s ‘transportation revolution’, the aim of its construction is to expand the influence and consolidate […]

In this article, Cheng Li highlights the challenges the CCP faces in governing a Han-dominant but multi-ethnic China, looking at the situation of Tibetan, Uighur and Mongolian cases. The author writes that “how top leaders handle ethnic tensions and recruit ethnic minorities into the political establishment will be not only crucial determinants of social stability […]

China on Tuesday protested the awarding of “honorary citizen” to the Dalai Lama by Paris mayor, saying it posed “grave interference in Sino-French relations”. “We feel strongly disgruntled and is resolutely opposed to Paris’ award for the Dalai Lama, regardless of China’s opposition,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang. Earlier reports said that Paris […]

Tiananmen Square marked a turning point not only in China’s political evolution, but in its relations with the rest of the world. The violent suppression of student demonstrators put a sudden stop to the peaceful opening up and engagement with the West which Deng Xiaoping had pioneered throughout the 80’s. Europe and the US immediately […]

Following the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that imposed sanctions on the Chinese government in response to its human rights crackdown. The legislation, commonly referred to as the “Tiananmen Sanctions” (P.L. 101-246) required Chinese authorities to meet a variety of conditions, including human rights improvements in Tibet. This paper analyzes […]

The Dalai Lama has released a statement on the 20th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Students’ Democracy Movement. The Dalai Lama honoured those who died “in defence of the Chinese people’s constitutional rights, in favour of democracy”. He also expressed his hope that a “policy of openness and realism can lead to greater trust and […]