The protests against China’s Olympic torch ceremonies, that have taken place in many countries, have served to focus international attention once again on the Tibet problem.

While Tibet arouses the conscience of people across the world, it was unfortunate to observe that no governments joined their citizens in registering protest against the Chinese government’s treatment of Tibetans, and in some cases actually apologized to China for their citizens’ behaviour.

With China’s economy soaring to new heights, most governments around the world are making a special effort to keep good relations with the emerging economic superpower. Having good diplomatic relations with China is helpful in securing the desired access to the growing number of Chinese middle class consumers, as well as maintaining access to cheap Chinese goods for home populations, helpful in keeping inflation under control.

Tibet is therefore not an issue that many governments would like to take up, despite being one of the worst oppressions in modern times. Our governments pay lip service to democracy and the evils of dictatorship, whilst ignoring the fact that China is a brutal dictatorship which enforces strict censorship and thought policing upon its population. Tibet is an appeal to the world’s conscience, to live by its principles rather than sacrifice them for money.

China annexed Tibet to its own territory in 1951. After a failed Tibetan uprising in 1959, China ruled with an iron fist. Tibetan sources estimate that 1.2 million deaths have occurred due to Chinese occupation. The spiritual landscape of the land has been changed, with the number of major monasteries dwindling from around 2,500 to just 70.

The recent anti-Chinese protests that have broken out in Tibet are only the latest of a number of Tibetan uprisings which the Chinese government has brutally suppressed. Amongst the many atrocities committed on the Tibetans, one of these is the attempt to breed them out of their homes. An increasing number of people from mainland China have been (and are being) settled in Tibet, free of family planning restrictions, while a very strict family planning program is maintained on the Tibetans.

Why Hindus should be concerned

Aside from the fact that Hindu thought insists that ALL people should be entitled to physical protection and freedom of thought, spiritually Tibet is a land that shares a deep kinship with Hindu civilization. As such, a large number of ancient Sanskrit manuscripts exist solely in Tibetan monasteries, which were moved their by Hindu scholars taking refuge during the onset of the Islamic invasions of India.

Although most Buddhists feel that their religion is unique and different from Hinduism, experienced Tibetan Buddhists are more likely to stress their similarity with Hinduism. It is the home of a form of Buddhism which is very close to mainstream Hinduism, both in philosophy and practice. The recognized leader of Tibetan Buddhists, Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama), has attested to this: “When I say that Buddhism is a part of Hinduism, certain people criticize me. But if I were to say that Hinduism and Buddhism are totally different, it would not be in conformity with truth.”