As the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama approaches, celebrations are taking place around the world except in #Tibet, where the people who revere him most are unable to mark the occasion freely. In #Lhasa, the traditional seat of Tibetan spiritual and political life, there are no visible signs of celebration. The #PotalaPalace stands quiet, the #GadenPhodrang is silent, and the atmosphere is one of enforced suppression, not cultural omission.
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐭, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐩, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨, 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞. Past incidents have shown that Tibetans risk severe punishment for celebrating the Dalai Lama’s birthday, even in private. This is not merely censorship; it is targeted #repression of #religiousfreedom and identity.
Meanwhile, #Beijing continues to make public claims about “serf liberation” and “religious freedom.” But a regime that jails monks for peaceful observance cannot claim to respect religious rights. A state that has driven the Dalai Lama into exile and criminalized devotion to him cannot credibly speak of liberation.
The #InternationalCampaignforTibet’s report, Celebrating in Fear, documents this ongoing crackdown and calls on the international community to act. Specifically, it urges global leaders and institutions to press China to:
- End the persecution of Tibetans who peacefully celebrate the Dalai Lama Release all those imprisoned for birthday related tributes, including
- Drugdra, Lobsang Khedrup, and Lobsang Gephel
- Respect the internationally recognized right to freedom of religion and belief
- Cease the campaign to vilify the #DalaiLama
Resume meaningful dialogue with his representatives.
The silence in Lhasa is not voluntary. It is enforced. It is the result of a deliberate state policy aimed at erasing Tibetan identity, severing spiritual connections, and rewriting history. As the world celebrates a revered figure of peace and compassion, Tibetans in their own homeland are forced to do so in fear and secrecy. This stark contrast exposes the true nature of China’s rule in Tibet and demands global attention.
