Tibetan diaspora

Introduction:-

Tibetan diaspora refers to the community who have left their homeland because of political insecurity in their own country Tibet under the rule of Chinese government and became as refugees in India and other countries such as Bhutan, Nepal etc. This process of emigration happened in 1959 when Chinese military had entered most parts of Tibet starting from Kham (province) of Tibet and Tibetan predicted that H.H. Dalai lamas life was in danger under Chinese Government. In 1959 H.H. Dalai Lama and ten thousand of his Tibetan people have moved out of Tibet and settled in India. In 80s many young Tibetans were sent to India by their parents to learn Tibetan culture and languages with modern understanding of it. Tibetans who have come to India are settled their residents in the host country without the citizenship. Nearly all accounts of Tibetans in exile acknowledge the remarkable extent to which they have been able to maintain their culture against all odds. They were premised on the idea that exile and identity was only worth studying insofar as it contained traces of how things were in the past, and proof of how well that past has been preserved (basu). 'The differences between Tibetan civilization and Chinese civilization are vast. The Tibetan and Chinese languages are mutually incomprehensibleexplains the Tibetan exile writer Norbu(Tibet's independent). Moreover, the religion differs considerably. Both Buddhist religions have different roots, and Tibetan and Chinese canons of Buddhist scriptures vary'.(Dool) History behind the Emigration:The major causes of emigration was that Chinese have reached all parts of Tibet between 1949 to 1959 and the condition in Tibet was worsening in 1959.There was the rumour spreading all over tsang (province) that H.H. Dalai Lamas life is in danger. On 10th of March 1959 was the uprising day for the Tibetans in Tibet raising voice against the Chinese government in Tibet. H.H Dalai lama and few of his security had started moving towards India without the knowledge of the Tibetan people. With the realization of Dalai Lamas exile in India people lost their hope and moved to India that the situation could be better in India. H.H Dalai Lama had chosen India as the second homeland was because i) India is considered as land of god as the Buddhism was born here so that Tibetans can preserve their culture and religion. ii) Tibet hardly had relation with other countries except with India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Although Nehru opened India's doors to the Tibetans, like Nepal and Bhutan, he could not condone the settlement of tens of thousands of Tibetans in the ecologically fragile and politically sensitive Himalayan borderlands. So the Tibetan refugees were herded into reception camps on the Indian plains, particularly in Bengal, where they died from tropical disease by the thousands. After months or years in the reception camps the refugees, according to their Tibetan communal origin, were allocated land in Central and Southern India. Situations that were gone through by first generation:H.H. Dalai Lama had reached India in 1959 through by walking and riding a horse also. The Tibetans who followed the Dalai Lama came to India through walking. The journey that the first generation has had was more than two months by crossing hills and hills. Most of them had crossed Nepal as the means for traveling. Before crossing the hills Tibetans have prayed to the

god that they would return back to Tibet before they die. Many people died on the way because of climate change and many of them suffered with different disease such as Tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid etc. People were not aware of such disease and they couldnt cure it. Many people died in snow and some of them have lost their legs because of snow. Some also died because of famine as they didnt eat anything for months and they couldnt afford to carry along the foods. Many of them had to sell their important resource that they have been carrying throughout the journey to buy food and to be safe. The first generation Tibetan reached India in 1960s to 70s and they were given a job of road construction in northern part of India.They had to earn and they had to look after their family members, old people, and sick people at their homes. The adjustment that they had made was very difficult. Tibetans couldnt understand the Indian languages, the food were very much different from what they eat in the fatherland, the climate was very hot compare to the highest plateau of world (Tibet) and they had to work very hard whereas in Tibet there was no hard labor work. There was cultural shock after learning the sati system and dowry system etc in India. The situation, living and everything was new to the Tibetans. The nature of the work that they did then was road construction. After working under road construction for 15 long years they were sent to different settlement in south India and different parts of India. Settling in India: Tibetan government in-exile was built in Dharamsala (H.P) and settlements were made by Indian Government in 60s. People were sent to different parts of the India to settle down in a group. The request of H.H. Dalai lama to Nehru was to give separate land where group of Tibetans can settle together which would be easier for Tibetan to preserve their culture and nationality in bonded."The proposed settlements were a kind of compromise because their envisioned size of three to four thousand was large enough to sustain Tibetan language and other institutions easily".(Basu) People were given land, built house and ration cards. People were given a RC (Registration certificate) stating the refugee status in India by Indian government and green book are given by Tibetan government in-exile for the proof of pure Tibetan. Those Tibetan who came to India in 90s are taken care by the Tibetan government in-exile. When people are settling down many monasteries were also built in all settlements of Tibetans in India. Schools started building in 1960s in north India and spread all over India. Many organizations such as RTYC (regional Tibetan youth congress), RWA (regional Tibetan women Association), SFT (student for free Tibet), choekur sum ling and many more were formed in 80s and 90s are aimed to build nationalism within the young Tibetans by learning the fact and the status of Tibet in todays world. These NGOs have taken many steps such as protest, raising voice against Chinese government. With the help of Indian government mant Tibetan got to join Indian army and sweater busiiness as their income of livelihood. Diasporas identity:The identity that Tibetan Diaspora carries is India as refugee. Most of the Tibetan has hoped to return back in Tibet and few of them have citizenship of India. Though they carry the status of refugees in India they get all the opportunities what an Indian gets except for few. The first generation that have come to India has big hope of going back to Tibet and they always pray for that only. Tibetan Diaspora who is settled in western countries has the citizenship of the host country or some remained as refugees. Though the country was taken over by Chinese Tibetan

still maintain their nationality as Tibetan in their heart. In 50 years, Tibetan have never asked any rights in India, rights of owning a land and rights to vote etc. The identity that Tibetan Diaspora carries in India is refugees. Building nationalistic feelings towards the fatherland:Tibetan Diaspora in India and west has sensitive emotions towards their fatherland and to the people living there. Today many Tibetans dies in Tibet because of Chinese oppression and no rights are given to the Tibetans in Tibet. Taking the advantage by Tibetan Diaspora in India and west under the head of H.H. Dalai Lama in free host country like India is raising their voice against Chinese government. Tibetan Diaspora in India and west has very good connection with the Tibetan government in-exile. Tibetan Diaspora community in India and in west works together for Tibet. Tibetan celebrates their all occasions under the order based of government inexile. Tibetans Diaspora gives an importance in celebrating their uprising day to message the world about the Tibet situations. The nature and the character of the nationalism-in-exile are determined to a great extent by the cooperation between the community within the Tibet and outside it (Misra). Though the Tibetans Diaspora cannot go to Tibet but they always worked for Tibet and the people living there by begging and putting their hands together asking help from the people of world. Today Tibetan Diaspora community always prays for the safe life of Tibetan people in Tibet. The hopes of Tibetans in Tibet are to the Diaspora community in India and west.'This struggle is often articulated or translated through political issues as nationalism, democracy and human rights. These issues are primarily Western concepts. The Tibetan case is thus articulated within a Western idiom, which is somewhat surprising since, according to Adams, Tibetan values bear more resemblance to Chinese values than to Western values'.(Dool) Significant role of H.H. Dalai Lama in the life of Tibetans:The Nobel Prize winner and the Spiritual Leader of Tibet, H.H. Dalai Lama has playing a major role in the life of Tibetan for more than 1000 years through reincarnation process. Today when Tibet is under the Chinese oppression, it is very clear to figure out that the lives of Tibetans in Tibet and Tibetan Diaspora community across the world are depending on H.H. Dalai Lama. In 1955-58 many Tibetans moved to India before The exile of Dalai Lama but Indian government didnt accept it and after the arrival of H.H Dalai lama Indian government accepted the request. Therefore, Tibetan Diaspora has got all far more better opportunities than any other refugees in the world. Today the world recognizes Tibetans after the name of H.H. Dalai Lama. Tibetan Diaspora in India and in west are well situated because of H.H Dalai Lama. Tibetans in Tibet always prays for the freedom of Tibet and the return of Dalai Lama taking the seat in Potala Palace. H.H. Dalai Lama is also the spiritual leader of all the Tibetans across the world. Western influence on Tibet issue:During the period of Chinese invasion in Tibet was very sad that UNO did not response to the letter of H.H. Dalai Lama seeking for help. After the coming in-exile, the relation between the west countries and Tibetans started improving because of the visit of H. H. Dalai Lama in western countries. Many foreigners have learned the issues of Tibet and helping for it. In all the Tibetan settlements in India there are many westerners who are voluntarily funding for the poor, disabled, old, college going students, office workers etc. Back in 1980s there was foods (Rice, Dal, Maida etc), clothes, medicines were given free to Tibetans and were directly sent it from USA. Conditions of Tibetan Diaspora increased with the help of foreign countries. When we look at TCV (Tibetan Childrens Village) most of the students are form Tibet who left their

parents in Tibet and came India to study. The facilities that they get such as tuition fees, clothing, hostel fees, medical facilities, scholarship for colleges etc are all free and sponsored by these foreigners. Today in most of the Tibetan settlements there are hardly people who do not depend on foreign countries and the people. secondary emigration:Secondary emigration started when USA government allowed 1000 Tibetan to settle in USA in 1985. Tibetan people realized the money value of western countries and many people started moving out of India to other western countries for the job and to earn well. Some young Tibetan scholars were sent to western countries for better education but they dont return and settled there in west. Today most of the Tibetan goes to western countries and stays at refugee camps in Belgium, Switzerland, France, Russia etc. Tibetan Diaspora are well settled in western countries and some of them have become scholars after educating in good universities. Many Tibetan pay huge amount to get the visa and to go in western countries.Some people they left their lands and house in India and settled there in the west. the whole families were shifted there. many young scholar who were sent to study there in foreign universities don't return after completing their studies. Today's life of Tibetans in Tibet and in the world:In 1959, 10,000 people have reached India following H.H. Dalai Lama including the nuns and the monks. Today Tibetan diaspora population have increased in India and in the west because of slow emigration after 1959 and the secondary emigration that took place in last 50 years inexile. Total number of Tibetan Diaspora population is highest in India, Bhutan and Nepal with the increasing numbers in USA, UK, France etc. The situation in Tibet is very harsh,there is no human rights and Tibetan languages are being exploited. In all universities of Tibet Chinese languages are been taught not the Tibetan languages. Monasteries in Tibet are used as museum with few monks using them for explanation to the tourist. Women are not allowed give birth more than two children. The resources are taken away from Tibet to China by building railways connecting Tibet-China. People are still suffering for the freedom of Tibet. Tibetan diaspora in India and west are also struggling for their homeland to be freed. the hope that Tibetans carries in their heart are believed to be come true. "FREE TIBET"