Review Article International Journal of Political Science Volume 4 Number 1, January - June 2018 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijpos.2454.9371.4118.2 Authors Affiliation: Associate Professor and Head, Dept of Political Science and Public Administration, Dr Harisingh Gour University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India. Corresponding Author: Tibetans in Exile: An Overview Anupma Kaushik Associate Professor and Head Dept of Political Science and Public Administration Dr Harisingh Gour University, Sagar, Anupma Kaushik Madhya Pradesh 470003, India. E-mail: [email protected] Received on 30.06.2018 Accepted on 17.09.2018 Abstract Tibetans are living in exile in many countries but majority of them reside in India as other countries come under pressure of china and do not welcome them. They have been able to preserve their identity only in India and Nepal. In other countries they lose their Tibetan identity and are unable to preserve their culture due to their small numbers as well as because of the policies of these countries. Keywords: Tibetans; Dalai Lama; Central Tibetan Administration; exile, refugee. Introduction they have encountered difculties in Nepal due to unsympathetic attitude of Nepal’s government due The estimated number of Tibetans living in to pressure from China. exile or outside China is 150,000. The emigration happened in three waves. The rst wave started Tibetans In India in 1959 following the 14th Dalai Lama’s self exile in India; the second wave started in 1980s when Tibet Following the Lhasa uprising and Dalai Lama’s was opened to trade and tourism and the third ight from Tibet in 1959, the government of India wave continues from 1996 to today. During the 1959 th accepted a large number of Tibetan refugees. Tibetan uprising, the 14 Dalai Lama and some of There are uctuating claims regarding numbers of his government ofcials ed to India. From 1959 Tibetans living in India. The 2009 census registered to 1960 about 80,000 Tibetans followed the Dalai about 128,000 Tibetans in exile, with the most Lama to India through the Himalayas. Continued numerous part of the community living in India, ights, estimated in numbers of 1000 to 2500 a year Nepal and Bhutan [2]. However, their number is increased these numbers to 100,000. The movement estimated at up to 150,000 by the 14th Dalai Lama of refugees during this time is sometimes referred in 2009 [3]. to as an exodus and as evidence of human rights abuses in Tibet. The second exodus happened The government of India has provided land in 1980s due to increasing political repression. for Tibetan refugee settlements in various states From 1986 to 1996 about 25000 Tibetans ed especially in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Tibet and their numbers in India increased by 18 The Dalai Lama resides in Dharamsala in the state percent. Now about 3000 to 4500 Tibetans arrive at of Himachal Pradesh however largest numbers Dharamsala every year. Many new immigrants are of Tibetan refugees are in the state of Karnataka. children who are sent to Tibetan cultural schools The government of India extends nancial help to sometimes with the tacit approval of the Chinese the Dalai Lama and has built special schools and government. Many political activists also cross over educational institutions for Tibetans that provide through Nepal to India [1]. Although in recent years free education, health care and scholarships. Few © Red Flower Publication Pvt. Ltd. 18 Anupma Kaushik / Tibetans in Exile: An Overview medical and engineering seats are reserved for projects for Tibetan Community and also tries to Tibetans. Tibetans live in India with a stay permit infuse and maintain nationalism among them. which is processed through a document called It has created the Tibetan Uprising Day holiday Registration Certicate (RC). It is renewed every and a Tibetan national anthem. More than 1000 year. Every Tibetan refugee above the age of refugees still arrive in India each year from China 16 must register for the stay permit. The Indian mostly via Nepal. The government of India allows government issues ‘Yellow Books’ after one years the CTA to exercise effective jurisdiction in these processing with RC, which allow Tibetans to travel matters over the Tibetan community in northern abroad.4 The high court has ruled that Tibetans India. On 11 February the CTA became a founding born in India are eligible for Indian citizenship [5]. member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples However Tibetans born in India choose not to apply Organisation (UNPO) at a ceremony held at the for Indian citizenship as they fear it will have a Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands [8]. bad impact on the psychology of Tibetans living Tibetans living outside Tibet can apply at the in Tibet. Moreover then Tibetans in India will CTA ofce in their country of residence for a also cease to be representative or spokespersons ‘Green Book’ which serves as a receipt book for the of Tibetans. They formally recognize the help that person’s voluntary contribution to the CTA and India has extended to them in the form of land for the evidence of his claims for ‘Tibetan citizenship’. settlement and funds and deny that they face any For this purpose, CTA denes a Tibetan as ‘any hardships in India [6]. However under pressure person born in Tibet, or any person with one from China, the government of India stops Tibetans parent born in Tibet’. As Tibetan refugees often from indulging in anti- China activities but then the lack documents attesting to their place of birth, the erstwhile prime minister of the Dalai Lama Prof eligibility is usually established by an interview [9]. Samdhong Rinpoche claims that asking for freedom is not an anti-China activity. On the contrary he The CTA operates under the ‘Charter of claims it to be a pro-China activity as it means the Tibetans In- Exile’ adopted in 1991. The more freedom for Chinese people, more respect government in exile has an elected parliament in for human rights and more respect for different exile consisting of 44 members; a Tibetan supreme cultures. He argues that Tibetans in India are not judicial commission and a cabinet called Kashag. asking for separation of Tibet from China so they The executive authority is vested in the Kalon Tripa. are not indulging in anti-China activity. He assures The Kalon Tripa or the prime minister is elected that Tibetan leadership does not want to cause any directly by the exile population for a term of ve inconvenience for India [7]. years. Under the Kashag are the main departments of Religion and Culture, Home, Education, Finance, The Dalai Lama maintains a government in exile in Security, Information and International Relations Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh which coordinates and Health. Ofcially, its annual revenue is US$22 political and welfare activities for Tibetans in India. million with $7 million for political activities It is called the Central Tibetan Administration and $4.5 million for administration. Legislative (CTA) or Tsenjol Bod Zhung gi Drigtsug in Tibetan authority is vested in the Parliament of CTA. language. It states its goal as rehabilitating Tibetan It has foreign missions in New Delhi, Kathmandu, refugees and restoring freedom and happiness New York, London, Geneva, Moscow, Brussels, in Tibet. It was established in 1959 shortly after Canberra, Tokyo, Pretoria and Taipei. At the time the Dalai Lama came to India. While its internal of founding of CTA the Dalai Lama was the head structure is government like, it has stated that it is of government and head of state of CTA. Over the not designed to take power in Tibet rather it will be ensuing decades, a gradual transition to democratic dissolved as soon as freedom is restored in Tibet governance was effected. The rst elected Kalon and a government is formed by Tibetans in Tibet. Tripa was a Buddhist monk called Samdhong The CTA claims to represent the people of entire Rinpoche or Lobsang Tenzin. The second Kalon Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai province Tripa is Lobsang Sangay. The CTA is not recognized as well as two Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures as a sovereign government by any country but it and one Tibetan County in Sichuan Province, one receives nancial aid from many governments and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and one Tibetan international organizations for its welfare work Autonomous County in Gansu Province and among Tibetan exile community in India [10]. one Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province- all of which is termed ‘Historic Tibet’ Major NGOs are Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), by CTA. The CTA runs schools, health services, Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), National cultural activities and economic development Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT) and Gu- Chu- International Journal of Political Science / Volume 4 Number 1 / January - June 2018 Anupma Kaushik / Tibetans in Exile: An Overview 19 Sum Movement. Tibetans in India are engaged in within the Tibetan community [16]. Although agriculture, agro- industries, carpet weaving and Tibetans are very emotional about the Dalai export, and service sector. The winter sweater Lama they also recognize that democratization of selling business is the economic mainstay of about Tibetans in exile and retirement of the Dalai Lama 70 percent of the exile population in India. School is a pragmatic political decision involving long enrolment is 85 to 90 percent of the school aged term interests of the Tibetan struggle and survival children in exile [11]. as a nation without having to depend upon one Tibetans in India have duplicated Tibetan person [17]. monasteries and they now house tens of thousands The Central Tibetan Schools Administration is of monks. They have created Tibetan schools and an autonomous organization with a seat in New hospitals and founded the Library of Tibetan Works Delhi.