In 1949 Chinese troops began invading and occupying Tibet. The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual and temporal leader, along with his government and people, tried for 10 years to negotiate a peaceful resolution with the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). In 1959, the Dalai Lama, along with 100,000 refugees, fled into exile in India. 

Before the Invasion, Tibet was a considered it's own nation, with it's own government, religion, language, laws and customs. Throughout history, Tibet was subject to many different invasions from countries like Mongolia and China, but it has still retained the status of an independent country. "International legal scholars agree that from 1911 until the Chinese invasion in 1949, Tibet was a fully independent state, by modern standards." (www.savetibet.org).

Since the invasion, 1.2 million Tibetans have died as a direct result of the Chinese occupation. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right to self-determination, freedom of speech, assembly, movement, expression and travel. The Tibetans have been denied these basic rights under Chinese rule. The International commission of Jurists found "that the Chinese will not permit adherence to and practice of Buddhism inTibet…[and] that they have systematically set out to eradicate this religious belief in Tibet." Historically, devout Buddhists have populated Tibet whose religion proliferated every aspect of their daily lives. Tibet is still populated by devout Buddhists, but who are presently not allowed to practice their religion freely.

Tibetans carry out protests in the forms of peaceful demonstrations against the violations of their basic human rights and freedom in Tibet. Demonstrations and other expressions of political views has led to the arrests and imprisonment of over 1042 known Tibetan Political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

Over the years accounts from former prisoners inform us that Tibetan prisoners of conscience have been tortured with instruments such as whips, electric prods, and rape. 

Thousands of Tibetans have fled into exile in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Australia, including the United States. Awareness and public outrage are building. Tibet needs your help.