If you’ve been living in a cave for the last few months, here’s a quick update on the Dalai Lama:

Tibetan Buddhism developed in India and Tibet. Its leader is called the Dalai Lama (“wisdom teacher”) and serves as both Tibet’s head of state and as its spiritual leader. However, Tibet is under Chinese rule. After attempting to overthrow the Chinese government in 1959, the Dalai Lama was exiled to Dharamsala, India, where he still lives today.

Because China is hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, many Tibetans saw this an opportune time to protest China’s rule — when the entire world was watching. In protest, Tibetans rose up, rioting against the Chinese within Tibet. While Tibetans claim hundreds have perished as a result of the Chinese backlash, China claims only a small number of Tibetan protesters were killed for their outbursts.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago — the Chinese government offered to speak with the Dalai Lama if he would concede that Tibet should, indeed, belong to China. The Dalai Lama refused. Now China is claiming that the Dalai Lama not only supports the uprising, but actually orchestrated the violence. The Dalai Lama claims he had nothing to do with the rioting. Read more here.

What do you think? Could the Dalai Lama have anything to do with the recent violence in Tibet? Would he support any type of violence? What do you make of the recent uprising?

To learn about another conflict between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, click here.

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