The Quest for Self-Rule in Tibet

The difficulties between the PRC Government and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile over their favored path to autonomy in Tibet stretch back over fifty years since China's original occupation and the Dalai Lama's 1959 flight into exile. While China's actual control over Tibet has gained international recognition, a non-violent strategy of resistance against sometimes-harsh policies has won the Tibetan exiles considerable international solicitude. This article assesses the historical record and current practice to argue that a form of autonomy that is appropriately grounded in China's Constitution and international human rights practice may offer a path out of the current dispute.