The sentencing of Tibetan environmentalist-cum-businessman Karma Samdrup to 15 years by a Chinese court even as his lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, highlighted the absence of a fair trial, is yet another challenge to Tibetans who are trying to find a place for themselves in the People’s Republic of China. Karma Samdrup is a founding member of the Three Rivers Environmental Protection Association, one of the few NGOs...

This article from Tuesday’s South China Morning Post (below) is worth noting. As my colleague Ben observes, it is highly unusual for someone on the faculty a major government think tank, at a major conference in Beijing, to challenge a key tenet of the strategy to co-opt Tibetan Buddhism. And it appears to undercut the highly promoted political coming out party for the government-appointed Panchen Lama (Gyaltsen...

More than 100 Chinese and Tibetans checked into their rooms at the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. The hotel was an 18-storied, big building, and its capacity was far more than holding this group of people. However, this group added a lot of commotion to the dining rooms and the hallways of the hotel. These people were scholars, educators, writers, and human rights advocates. They came from more...

It is always an exciting time when the Dalai Lama visits the United States. The American people get to hear directly from him about his thoughts on matters affecting the world, Tibet included. The Tibetan American community, whose number is growing to be a critical mass now, especially looks forward to his visit. This is among the few opportunities they get to be closer with their roots and to strengthen their...