Buddhism is the religion of the overwhelming majority of Tibetans (78%). Tibet, an independent state based on the monastic structure of Buddhism, was occupied by Communist China in 1950 and gradually transformed into an “autonomous” region of China. The CCP then promoted massive immigration of Han Chinese into Tibet, where they now constitute a sizable percentage of the population (with statistics being politically manipulated and a matter of controversy), limited the practice of Buddhism and the use of Tibetan language, and tried to impose CCP-appointed Buddhist leaders. Some Tibetan organizations abroad denounce these practices as a forced sinicization of Tibet and even a form of “cultural genocide.”
« Back to Glossary Index