Communist Party Marks “Serfs' Emancipation Day” in Tibet

Chinese state media reported this week that Monday was "Serfs' Emancipation Day" for Tibet. It marks the 52nd anniversary of what the Chinese Communist Party calls its "liberation" of Tibet in 1959. Many Tibetans, on the other hand, use the term "communist takeover"—saying 1959 marked the beginning of the Party's suppression of their way of life.

[Khedroob Thondup; Senator, Tibetan Government-in-Exile]:
"The regime claims it's done a lot of good things, but it's all lies. Under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, Tibet became a giant prison. They are mistreating Tibetans, over one million of us died in the past 52 years."

Simmering tension of Tibetans against Chinese communist rule erupted in March of 2008. Violent protests overtook the streets of the capital, Lhasa. That same year, the Chinese regime decided to mark March 28 "Serfs' Emancipation Day."

Executive Director of the New York-based Students for a Free Tibet, Tenzin Dorjee, says the celebration is a propaganda tool. He says if the Chinese regime could legitimately show progress in Tibet, they would allow independent journalists to report from inside the region.

[Tenzin Dorjee; Executive Director, Students for a Free Tibet]:
"But they cannot do that, because the Chinese regime has turned Tibet into a media black hole where the Chinese regime is not allowing independent foreign media to independently cover issues. So I think that alone shows that Chinese…leaders actually know that the situation in Tibet is not good enough, [for them] to feel confident to show the world."

Tibetans are predominantly Buddhists. Their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama escaped Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising. Since then, Tibetans say they have been restricted in practicing their beliefs. Their historically nomadic lifestyle is also changing, as authorities attempt to integrate herders into urban areas.