say the country is still under martial law in everything but in name.

No Tibetan critique of the nature of Chinese rule in can match that of the late 10th Panchen Lama’s in depth, breadth and meticulous detail. Known as the 70,000 character petition, it was addressed to the top Chinese leadership, including . In his capacity as the vice-chairman of the National People’s Congress, in 1962, the Panchen Lama travelled extensively throughout Tibet and wrote his observations of the conditions of the people and places he visited. With the help of the United Front, he set up a team to write the petition. When completed, after much cross-checking and having the petition translated from the original Tibetan into Chinese, the Panchen Lama presented his opinion to the Chinese premier on 18 May 1962. The Chinese premier took the criticism in the document seriously to the extent that he summoned Guohua and , the two top Chinese leaders in Tibet, to and told them to address the mistakes in their Tibet work.

However, that summer at the central committee conclave at the seaside resort of Beidahe, Mao Zedong called the Panchen Lama’s 70,000 character petition “a poisoned arrow” and labelled the Tibetan leader as “a class enemy.” The Panchen Lama was struggled or publicly criticised and humiliated before thousands of angry crowds. He was thrown in prison and served 14 years under some form of detention.

Though the Panchen Lama’s critique of the nature of Chinese rule in Tibet was made in 1962, more than 55 years ago, it remains valid today, mainly because the Chinese authorities, despite a tentative foray into liberalisation in Tibet, have largely refused to address the core concerns raised by the Tibetan leader. As such this critique remains as relevant today as it was for the Tibetan people more than 55 years ago. The bulk of Tibetan criticism, both within and outside Tibet, against Chinese rule in Tibet echoes the Panchen Lama’s petition. But his petition, irst of its kind still remains the most detailed, comprehensive and on the spot investigation of ’s rule in Tibet that continues to devastate the way of life of the Tibetan people.

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