Until the beginning of April, foreign visitors are not allowed to enter the Tibet region. Reason is the 60th anniversary of the flight of the Dalai Lama and related tensions.
Chinahat prohibits foreign tourists from accessing the Tibetan region. As of April 1, foreign nationals are no longer allowed to enter the autonomous region – only then will the necessary authorization be granted again. When Genoa’s travel ban came into force was unclear. However, some observatories reported that it had been in force since February.
The reason for the travel ban is the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising and the associated flight of the Dalai Lama. As the Tibetans feared the abduction of their leader, a great uprising broke out on March 10, 1959, during which the now 83-year-old Dalai Lama and his followers fled into exile in India.The anniversary of these events is always connected with tensions. So it came in March 2008, there were heavy riots in the Tibetan capital Lhasazu, after monks had thought of the escape.
In the past, before important political meetings or anniversaries, China has again banned foreign vacationers from accessing Tibet. Far more than 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in recent years to protest against Chinese politics in Tibetan-populated areas. In 2016, the Chinese government destroyed parts of the world’s largest Buddhist institute in LarungGar – allegedly for reasons of fire safety.
Tibetans fight for more autonomy
The Tibet region lies on a plateau between 3,600 and 5,200 meters high and is therefore called the „roof of the world“. From the 15th century, the Buddhist kingdom developed into a monastic state with the Dalai Lama as head. In 1950, China invaded Tibet with its People’s Liberation Army and in 1965 created the Tibet Autonomous Region. Since their occupation by China, Tibetans are fighting for more autonomy and independence from the central government in Beijing, as well as the exercise of their Buddhist religion and culture.
Information about current events in the Tibet Autonomous Region is difficult to obtain. The area is almost inaccessible to foreign journalists and diplomats.
