Tibet ...

I have seen so many articles in news/magazines about Tibet but I ignored going deep into the issue. Recently I thought of searching and finding out what exactly happening there. So I browsed thru net and found some interesting facts which I am posting here. Neither I have been to Tibet nor I have got any friends/relatives there, the content is entirely based on my search on net which are genuine as per my knowledge.
Tibet lies on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of the southwest border of China. The average height of the whole region is more than 4,000 meters above sea level, for which Tibet is known as "Roof of the World".
Although a part of China now, Tibet has a unique culture of all there own. Majorities are the followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it was similar to Indian Buddhism but consequently Tibetan Buddhism evolved and followed practices of their own, believe in Living Buddha (reincarnation of Buddha as Dalai Lama). As well as being one of the most influential spiritual leaders of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama by tradition is also Tibet's absolute political ruler. For many years Dalai Lamas were the rulers of this place until it was occupied by PRC (People’s Republic of China).
The Tibetan language being phonetic has alphabets, its source being Brahmi/Sanskrit and is written horizontally i.e. left to right. The Chinese language not being phonetic has no alphabets but an ideographic script or pictograms and is written vertically i.e. from top to bottom.

Few facts:
Dalai Lama fled Tibet at 1959 and set up the Government of Tibet in Exile in Dharamsala, India, which is often referred to as "Little Lhasa". The Indian Government offered the Dalai Lama a home in Dharamsala, a small town in the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. From here the Tibetan Government-in-Exile has drafted a constitution for an autonomous and democratic Tibet and holds elections for the Tibetan Parliament. In 1989, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his peaceful struggle for the liberation of Tibet. But China claims the dirty political motives of Dalai Lama.

There are so many clauses/points to which PRC is not agreeing to form elected Govt in Tibet as a part of China. Like our Kashmir issue, this is ongoing and is continuing as a political issue in China. While searching, I found so many sites for saving Tibet, free Tibet, friends of Tibet, Tibet online etc which are claiming they are under colonial rule of PRC which is destroying their identity, rupturing their culture and they want genuine autonomy though not full freedom. While some sites shows a developing Tibet under China.

Its only Tibetan can tell about the real fact and what they want. But what we see somewhat more than what exactly it is. Support of Western countries to Tibetans while China is denying for talks is totally confusing. What China says is western countries along with US support Dalai Lama and freedom of Tibet, as they want to suppress China as uprising power in east and want to divide what they call one China (See PRC and ROC).You must have heard about the recent threat from China to France president Nicolas Sarkozy for his meeting with Dalai Lama. China had threatened Paris with consequences if a meeting with the French government were to take place with Dalai Lama. Ties between the French government and China were damaged after Sarkozy initially threatened to boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing. Following pressure from China, he later reversed his announcement and attended the ceremony.

I even found many news sites, which says:
“Tibetan Buddhism is controlled by China: it is illegal to own a photograph of the Dalai Lama. Tibetans who support the Dalai Lama are arrested and tortured. The Chinese leadership accuses the Dalai Lama of being a dangerous separatist whose agenda it is to destabilize the one family of China. He has been referred to as "a wolf in a monk's robe; a monster with a human face but the heart of a beast". What he wants for his people is genuine autonomy, and he gave up the issue of independence in 1979.”

One more interesting fact is about Panchen Lama ,the second highest ranking of Lama after Dalai Lama, who is also believed to be reincarnating and to be chosen finally by Dalai Lama and vice versa. Current Panchen Lama chosen by Dalai Lama is missing after PRC chosen one rival Panchen Lama. Chinese authorities state that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima(11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama chosen by current Dalai Lama on 14th may 1995) has been taken into protective custody, but there is no reference to what, or whom he must be protected from. With this PRC wants a religious control of Tibetan Buddhism in future.

I found in so many blogs/sites that Internet facility in Tibet is limited, China restricts/manages the search/sites while accessing net, even found that if people from Tibet/china search for Dalai Lama in Google they wont find any result !!!