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Revision as of 11:32, 6 October 2004
The International Tibet Independence Movement is an organization headed by the 14th Dalai Lama to promote Tibetan independence. It has members in many countries, although the support for such a movement in Tibet itself is unknown.
Historical Background
See the History of Tibet for the details on the roots of the Tibetan movement for independence. China reasserted control of Tibet in 1950. At first it seemed that Chinese objectives might be strictly strategic and military, but they began increasingly to affect Tibetan civilian life. An attempted rebellion covertly backed by the CIA started in 1959, but due to the fact that Tibet had no professional army and that internal support was lukewarm at best, the rebellion failed. On March 17th, 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama led 80,000 people out of Tibet into northern India. He set up the Government of Tibet in Exile there, and travelled the world to seek assistance.
Political Position
The position of the Independence Movement is that Tibet has not given up sovereignty to the Chinese, at least since declaring its independence in 1912, and that the 1950-51 action by the People's Liberation Army was an act of invasion and is illegal.
The position of the Chinese government is that the Tibetans voluntarily submitted to Chinese rule around the time of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and reaffirmed it in the Qing Dynasty when the system of rotating Lamas were instituted. Therefore, the 1951 action was an act of reclamation.
Development and Influence
The Dalai Lama has spoken in many international venues, including the United States Congress, the European Parliament, etc. He has also started (in 1987) pushing for a peaceful resolution to the question of independence, going so far as to suggest that full independence is not necessary, and that autonomous rule could be acceptable. The Dalai Lama has had widespread support over the past 40 years, but has never gained official recognition for the government of Tibet in exile. There are many components to the movement:
- Tibetan Independence Movement - A movement started within Tibet that lasted from 1987 to 1989. Chinese crackdown on dissent led to 10 monks that formed the movement being jailed, with three (as of 2004) still jailed.
- Tibetan Youth Organization - Located at the seat of the government in exile in India, claims 10,000 members.
- International Tibetan Independence Movement - Located in Indiana, U.S.. It was formed in 1995 as an official organization and focus for the various international activities.
- International Tibetan Aid Organization - Located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, this organization was formed in 2004 to provide an EU counterpart to the International Tibetan Independence Movement.
To the dismay of many of his foreign backers, the Dalai Lama has announced that he does not seek independence for Tibet. He proposes a "Middle Way" of negotiations for more autonomy within China.