The search for independance in tibet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The search for independance in tibet - Essay Example The issue of Tibetan independence involves a long term debate which comprises of two conflicting views of the government of the People’s Republic of China and that of the Tibetan government in exile. (Norby, 2007) According to the scholars and the Tibetan government in exile none of the several foreign invasions in Tibet had been conducted by the Chinese dynasties.(Norby, 2007) While the Chinese government claims to rule over Tibet since 1200s, the historical accounts say that during the 13th century the actual rulers were the Mongols. (Norby, 2007) In the, 1700s the Qing dynasty of Manchuria invaded Tibet and ruled until 1912 when the Republic of China took over. But still the thirteenth Dalai Lama ruled Tibet independently without any significant intervention by the Chinese government. (Norby, 2007)Thus from historical account it is evident that Tibet was never ruled by China and had a unique ethnicity throughout (Norby, 2007). The problem in Tibet started to arise in 1950 after the creation of the People’s Republic of China under the Chinese Communist Party (Yeoman, 2008). Initially the Chinese government planned to improve the conditions of the historically exploited Tibetans and integrate Tibet with the mainland China and Tibet signed a 17 point treaty for peaceful integration in 1951 after the invasion of the territory by the People’s Liberation Army in the same year. (Yeoman, 2008) However, opposite to the hopes of the Tibetans, the Chinese government took steps to destroy Tibetan traditions and cultures in the name of modernization which came as a serious blow to the traditionally independent minded Tibetans and they rose to regain their independence (Yeoman, 2008). With this uprising, began a new era of Chinese suppression on the Tibetan people and the government led by the 14th Dalai Lama (Yeoman, 2008) The violent suppression exercised by the Chinese government killed thousands of