Tibet in Exile

Every day, oppressed Tibetans living inside Tibet decide to escape to exile in north India. This is due to their loss of basic human rights...being forbidden to worship according to their traditions, being questioned for ANY activities the Chinese deem suspicious, being denied equal pay, the Chinese forced sterilization population control policies, and many other reasons.

They make the decision to flee. Some come to the borders by truck, in secret, paying guides. Others actually choose to walk across the Himalayas, a journey which takes roughly 28 days...often in snow and ice. Some lose their clothing en route...and later lose feet or toes which have been frost-bitten beyond recognition.

Usually their first stop is a refugee reception center in Nepal. Here they receive food and clothing and basic medical treatment. Most are then sent on to an official reception center in New Delhi, India. When they are well enough to travel, they are moved to the primary refugee community of McleodGanj, upper Dharamsala in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

McleodGanj is the seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile and home to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet. It is a small mixed community in the Himalayan foothills.

Here, the refugees stay in a reception center for varying time periods. Once a month, new arrivals are granted a personal audience with His Holiness (HH). Those who were political prisoners speak to him personally regarding their situation.

After this audience, the refugees are divided according to age and abilities and are sent to schools. Children generally go to TCV (Tibetan Childrens Village) branches or TTS (Tibetan Transit School) where they study Hindi and Tibetan as well as English and other subjects. Adults may be offered minimal assistance finding housing or, less likely, helped to find work. Elders are sent to special homes.

The refugee community faces rampant unemployment. Depression, isolation and culture shock often lead to alcoholism and drug abuse.