Dalai Lama Flees Tibet

Setting the scene

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet on March 17, 1959, escaping to India after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Tibet had been invaded by China in 1950, and the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, then 15, signed the Seventeen Point Agreement in 1951 accepting Chinese sovereignty in exchange for autonomy. By 1959, Chinese land reforms and suppression of religion sparked resistance, culminating in a March 10 uprising in Lhasa.

What happened

As Chinese troops shelled the Norbulingka Palace, the Dalai Lama, disguised as a soldier, fled with a small party on horseback. They traveled 15 days across the Himalayas to India, evading Chinese patrols. On March 31, they crossed into India, where Prime Minister Nehru granted asylum. The Dalai Lama established the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala, India, where it remains.

Why it still matters

The Dalai Lama's flight internationalized the Tibet issue and created a lasting symbol of nonviolent resistance. China crushed the uprising, killing an estimated 87,000 Tibetans, and imposed direct rule, destroying monasteries during the Cultural Revolution. The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his nonviolent campaign for Tibetan autonomy. His flight marked the beginning of the Tibetan diaspora and a 65-year struggle that continues today, with the Dalai Lama remaining a global moral authority despite China's efforts to erase Tibetan culture.

Background

Tibet became a sensitive geopolitical issue.