The Plight of Tibet and the Dalai Lama: interviews with Tibetian refugees

Buddhism became Tibet’s official religion by 800AD. This spiritual thought pacified the people and evolved into a unique form now known as Tibetan Buddhism. China invaded Tibet in 1950, vowing to liberate its citizens from feudalism and Western imperialists. Tibetans rebelled against the Chinese occupation in 1959, but the revolt was quickly and cruelly put down. The Dalai Lama, his life in danger, fled Tibet and was offered sanctuary by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru. Since then, more than 120,000 Tibetans have also escaped into exile, most settling in India. This program consists of interviews with Tibetan refugees (predominantly Buddhists persecuted for their religion), including the current Dalai Lama, as well as those people who operate the services in India which assist the arriving refugees. They describe both their treatment at the hands of the country’s rulers as well as the general socio-economic climate brought about by the policies of the government of Tibet.