- Around 2,500-3,500 Tibetans make the dangerous crossing by foot over the Himalayas into exile in Nepal and India each year
- Reasons for escape include: (i) religious repression; (ii) China's discriminatory economic policies; (iii) a lack of quality education; and (iv) political repression
- In September 2006, Chinese troops opened fire at a group of Tibetans fleeing Chinese rule, killing a 17-year-old nun
Refugees - Background
Half a century ago, Chinese troops invaded Tibet, bringing to a sudden and violent end Tibet's centuries old isolation beyond the Himalayas. Tibet's unique brand of Buddhism formed the core of Tibetan culture and society, a radical contrast to the atheistic and materialist dogma of the Chinese communists.
In the wake of the invasion, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual and temporal leader, and around 80,000 Tibetans fled into exile in India. In the years after, Tibet's remarkable culture, and its inhabitants, have been systematically persecuted. The flow of Tibetans fleeing Chinese oppression continues to this day, principally through Nepal into India.
Fleeing Chinese Rule in Tibet
The escape into exile is a daunting one. The most commonly used route is over the Himalayas, through the Nangpa mountain pass that rises nearly 19,000 feet above sea level west of Mount Everest. On this crossing, Tibetans risk hypothermia, snow blindness, frostbite and the possibility of falling. For some, a twisted knee cap or sprained ankle can mean being abandoned by the group or guide. From Nangpa-la, the journey forward to Kathmandu cannot take several more days and puts the Tibetans at further risk of arrest and refoulement by border police or robbery from bandits and Maoist forces.
The UNHCR office in Kathmandu each year processes some 2,500 Tibetans as "of concern," a designation that provides some measure of protection while they receive immediate care in Nepal and continue on their journey to India.
Reasons for Escape
For many, the main or only purpose of their journey is to see their religious leader, the Dalai Lama. A high percentage of the new refugees are children sent by their parents to study in Tibetan exile schools due to inadequate or unaffordable schools in Tibet, and monks and nuns seeking to practice their religion in exile due to persecution in Tibet. Other Tibetans leave because they have been relocated from their land in order to make way for development projects under China's transformative economic plan for its poor western areas, or because they are unable to develop or maintain a livelihood in competition with increasing numbers of Chinese migrants.
Nangpa Pass Shooting Incident, Sep 2006
In September 2006, a 17-year old Tibetan nun, Kelsang Namtso, was shot dead by Chinese police while she was crossing the Nangpa Pass with a group of other Tibetan nuns, monks, children and others into exile. She was just 20 minutes walk away from the Nepal border when she died in the snow on the pass. Footage of the incident taken by a Romanian cameraman broadcast news of her death to the world, and refuted China's claim that their border troops had fired 'in self-defence' >>> READ MORE
Dangerous Crossings
The International Campaign for Tibet monitors the situation of Tibetan refugees, gathering first-hand information and bringing this information to interested parties in Nepal, including the Nepalese government and foreign embassies, the UNHCR, and the US and EU governments. Our annual report, Dangerous Crossing: Conditions Impacting the Flight of Tibetan Refugees, is available online:
Refugees - Further Information
Nangpa Pass Shooting Incident, Sep 2006 - TAKE ACTION!
Stories of the Escape into Exile
