OPINION

Aritra Banerjee* examines how Tibetans have made democracy and non-violence central to their identity and resistance, contrasting the repression inside Tibet with the democratic institutions established in exile.

For more than seven decades, Tibet has endured one of the most systematic campaigns of cultural erasure in modern history. Yet against this relentless pressure, Tibet continues to stand as a beacon of peaceful resistance, showing how non-violent struggle can preserve identity and dignity under oppression. From whispered prayers in monasteries under surveillance to the parliamentary debates of exiled representatives in Dharamsala, Tibetans have chosen democracy and non-violence as the foundation of their resistance. In doing so, they remind the world that when tyranny seeks to silence an entire people, democracy itself becomes an act of defiance.

Silent Defiance Under the Digital Panopticon

Inside Tibet, everyday life is conducted under the gaze of one of the world’s most intrusive surveillance systems. Human rights researchers describe the region as among the “least free” on earth. A grid of “convenience police posts” divides communities into units watched by security officials, volunteers, and a web of cameras. Artificial intelligence–enabled facial recognition monitors streets, monasteries, and even rural villages.

Digital control has become central to Beijing’s strategy. Since 2021, Tibetans have been compelled to install the “National Anti-Fraud Centre” app on their smartphones. Ostensibly designed to combat scams, the app grants authorities sweeping access to private communications, GPS data, and biometric information. At checkpoints, police routinely search devices for “illegal” material—anything from photos of the Dalai Lama to recordings of Tibetan songs. According to rights groups, dozens have been arrested in recent years for such “phone offences,” with tragic cases of torture and custodial death.

More than one million Tibetan children have reportedly been placed in state-run boarding schools where Mandarin is imposed, erasing cultural and linguistic heritage. Religious life is similarly targeted. Possession of the Dalai Lama’s portrait can result in arrest; monasteries are forced to hang portraits of Communist Party leaders; prayers on sensitive anniversaries are treated as subversion.

Yet resistance continues, often in quiet but powerful forms. Monks and lay Tibetans keep the language alive in secret lessons, embed national symbols in art and song, and share coded messages on social media despite the risks. The most extreme form of protest—the self-immolation—has claimed 155 Tibetan lives since 2009. Each of these acts, tragic yet profoundly political, embodies the ultimate sacrifice in non-violent resistance.

Exile Democracy: A Living Alternative

While repression defines life inside Tibet, the exile community has built an extraordinary counter-model: a functioning democracy rooted in Tibetan values. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), established after the Dalai Lama’s flight to India in 1959, is based in Dharamsala and serves as the political and cultural heart of the diaspora.

The CTA operates under the Charter of the Tibetans in Exile, which enshrines separation of powers and guarantees fundamental rights. Its Parliament-in-Exile consists of 45 democratically elected members representing the three historical provinces—Ü-Tsang, Kham, and Amdo—as well as Tibet’s religious schools. Every five years, Tibetans across the world cast ballots for their representatives and for the directly elected Sikyong, or President. The judiciary, led by the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, functions independently.

This exile democracy does more than replicate liberal forms—it sustains Tibetan identity. Schools across India and Nepal teach Tibetan language, history, and Buddhist philosophy, subjects banned or heavily restricted in occupied Tibet. Monasteries such as Namgyal in Dharamsala train new generations of scholars and monks. The Parliament maintains ties with global Tibetan communities, uniting a scattered nation under democratic practice.

Crucially, the exile leadership has consistently rejected armed struggle. Unlike many displaced peoples, Tibetans chose to express resistance through democratic institutions that reflect Buddhist values of compassion, justice, and equality. Harvard scholars studying the Tibetan Parliament describe it as a model for how democracy can survive in exile and offer moral authority even without sovereign territory.

Democracy as Tibet’s Long-Term Answer

For Tibetans, democracy is not merely a political system; it is a rejection of authoritarianism itself. The Dalai Lama’s vision for Tibet’s future explicitly calls for a multiparty parliamentary system with clear separation of powers, anchored in compassion and justice. This stands in stark opposition to the Chinese Communist Party’s one-party authoritarian model.

Against cultural genocide, democracy offers Tibetans their most potent weapon: the preservation of values and identity through peaceful institutions. The exile democracy demonstrates that Tibetans can govern themselves with accountability and inclusivity, embracing modern governance while staying rooted in tradition. It provides the world with a glimpse of what Tibet could become if freed from occupation—a democratic, Buddhist-inspired society contributing to global pluralism.

Challenges and Pressures

This path is not without obstacles. The Chinese state continues to expand its technological grip inside Tibet, criminalising even the mildest expressions of cultural identity. Reports also document Beijing’s transnational repression, targeting exiles abroad through blackmail, online threats, and harassment of relatives still in Tibet.

Within the diaspora, generational change brings new debates: younger Tibetans often demand more assertive strategies, while older leaders remain committed to dialogue and non-violence. The CTA itself faces resource constraints and limited international recognition, forcing it to rely heavily on India’s goodwill and diaspora networks.

Still, the moral power of democracy remains the community’s greatest strength. By maintaining open elections, legislative debate, and cultural education, Tibetans project a vision that starkly contrasts with the authoritarianism imposed on their homeland.

Democracy as Defiance

The Tibetan story offers a profound lesson for the world. Democracy can be more than governance—it can be resistance itself. By choosing peace over violence, hope over hatred, and dignity over despair, Tibetans have built a moral foundation that no surveillance system can extinguish.

As China seeks to export its authoritarian model abroad, the Tibetan example becomes even more significant. Supporting Tibet’s democratic vision is not just a matter of solidarity with a people under occupation; it is a stand for the global defence of democracy, human dignity, and cultural diversity.

Tibet’s quiet defiance endures, a testament that even under tyranny, the human spirit can choose freedom through democracy.

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*  Aritra Banerjee is a Defence, Foreign Affairs & Aerospace Journalist, Co-Author of the book ‘The Indian Navy @75: Reminiscing the Voyage’ and was the Co-Founder of Mission Victory India (MVI), a new-age military reforms think-tank. He has worked in TV, Print and Digital media, and has been a columnist writing on strategic affairs for national and international publications. His reporting career has seen him covering major Security and Aviation events in Europe and travelling across Kashmir conflict zones. Twitter: @Aritrabanned