Tibet has been under unlawful occupation by the People's Republic of China (China) since it invaded the country in 1949. China today refers to Tibet as the "Tibet Autonomous Region" or "TAR". Tibet is "autonomous" in word only; in fact, while Chinese laws on regional ethnic autonomy contain provisions that could benefit Tibetans and their culture, Beijing's implementation of these laws largely negates their potential value and the "Tibet Autonomous Region" has less autonomy than Chinese provinces.
China continues to severely restrict the rights of Tibetans to exercise constitutionally guaranteed human rights, including the freedoms of speech, press, association, and belief. In recognition of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, ICT supports a policy of self-determination for the people of Tibet and are working with international bodies and governments around the world in order to help bring about a negotiated settlement between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government.
In recent years and especially since the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, the concern shown by the governments in Europe and the U.S., in particular, has grown considerably.
A number of parliamentary bodies have passed resolutions condemning human rights violations in Tibet and calling for peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with the Dalai Lama's plan.
This is the most critical time for the Tibetan people. Tibetans urge the world to support the Dalai Lama's proposal and put pressure on the Chinese government to begin negotiations with the Tibetan government-in-exile, the true representatives of the Tibetan people.
