Contact is taking a holiday!

– By Sadayuki Komori, a member of the Japan Regional Parliamentarian Support Group for Tibet, for Seiron (Japanese monthly political/cultural magazine)

There is a “nation” in this world that cannot issue its own passport, is not a member of the United Nations, and is even forced to have its government outside its homeland.

And yet, despite these hardships, it has preserved its national identity, unique religion, culture, and traditions. That nation is Tibet.

In October, I visited Dharamshala in northern India, where the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (the Central Tibetan Administration) is based. I had the honor of an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the opportunity to exchange views with senior officials of the exile government.

Since the Battle of Chamdo in October 1950, Tibet has been placed under the control of the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army in the name of “liberation.” More than half a century has passed since the 1959 Tibetan Uprising. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans who went into exile at that time have never been able to set foot again on their ancestral land. Nevertheless, Tibetans scattered across the world continue their nonviolent struggle for the survival of their people.

During my stay in Dharamshala, one statement struck me deeply.

“Many politicians come to Dharamshala and take photographs. But once they return home, they stop talking about Tibet.” Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile said. Many politicians express support for Tibet when visiting Dharamshala or attending international conferences. However, few continue to speak out actively for Tibet after returning to their own countries.

Advocating for Tibet rarely translates into votes at home and can instead create friction with China. As a result, promises of “support” made in Dharamshala often remain hollow. Such “silent politics,” I felt, amounts to killing Tibet a second time—a people already confronted with the loss of their homeland. I do not want to be such a politician.

That is why, in this article, I wish to convey the presence of His Holiness as I encountered him, and the heartfelt voices of Tibetans living in exile.

A Blessing from His Holiness

I arrived at Kangra Airport in mid-October, about two hours north of New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. From there, it took another thirty minutes by car along steep mountain roads to reach Dharamshala.

Unlike the bustling streets of the Delhi metropolitan area—crowded with cars, motorcycles, people, and cows—the roads here were so narrow that passing oncoming vehicles was often difficult. Despite India’s rapid development, this northern region feels left behind. An official from the Tibetan Government-in-Exile who accompanied me remarked, “International aid is mostly limited to education and healthcare. There is almost no support for infrastructure.”

Once in town, the presence of Hindu Indian residents was striking. Dharamshala is, after all, Indian territory. Yet the Snow Lion Flag—strictly banned in China as a “symbol of independence”—fluttered openly. Tibetan restaurants, stalls selling momos (Tibetan-style dumplings), numerous shops selling religious items, and Western tourists together created a distinctly Tibetan atmosphere.

The McLeod Ganj area, where many Tibetans live and where exile government facilities are located, sits at an altitude of about 2,000 meters—roughly equivalent to the fifth station of Mount Fuji. Compared with Delhi’s temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius even in October, it was quite cold. Still, the taste of India’s famous chai seemed even richer here.

The next morning, I headed to His Holiness’s residence for our audience.

Having turned ninety this year, His Holiness has become more cautious about meetings and travel. That I was granted an audience owed much to the longstanding relationship between my alma mater, Seifu Gakuen in Osaka, and the Tibetan community. The late Hiranobu Hiraoka, former head of the school, played a key role in the revival of Gyumé Monastery, a center of Tibetan Buddhist scholarship. His Holiness had visited the school three times in the past, earning deep trust within Tibetan society.

Encouraged by school officials who said, “Young Japanese politicians should know the reality,” and with the support of the Office of the Dalai Lama’s Representative in Japan, this meeting finally became possible.

As I waited in line, deeply aware that I could never have stood there on my own, I was handed a white ceremonial scarf known as a khata. I was told it symbolized offering a pure heart, and my posture naturally straightened.

When my turn came, through an interpreter, I spoke of the guidance I had received from Mr. Hiraoka and of his passing in 2023.

His Holiness replied gently, “It is good that you were able to study in such a fine environment when you were young.”

Despite what must have been a tiring day, he looked me directly in the eyes and said, “Please continue your activities for Japan and for world peace.”

When I held his hand, I felt an unexpected warmth—an inner energy that seemed impossible for a ninety-year-old. He then took my hands and softly touched his forehead to mine. Time seemed to stand still.

In Tibetan culture, touching foreheads is considered the deepest form of blessing. It was a prayer beyond words, a direct meeting of hearts. The warmth lingered on my forehead, and I felt a quiet light kindle within me.

Education as the Guardian of Culture and History

I then had the opportunity to exchange views with Education Minister Changra Tharlam Dolma.

For the Tibetan exile community, education is not merely about teaching literacy or arithmetic. Minister Dolma, herself a former refugee and teacher, emphasized, “Tibetan-language education is essential to preserving Tibetan culture and history.”

Most schools are built with Indian government support, yet literacy rates among exiled Tibetans reach 98–99 percent—far above the Indian average. This dedication reflects a profound fear: without language and culture, Tibetans would eventually lose even their identity.

Schools strive to balance cultural preservation with practical skills for survival. In addition to Tibetan, students learn English and Hindi. Many go on to Indian universities, while others study abroad. In Japan, Chiba University and Reitaku University accept Tibetan students annually.

In stark contrast, within Tibet, China has designed an education system in a way to erase Tibetan culture. Tibetan children are sent to distant state-run boarding schools, where Mandarin dominates, the Tibetan language is banned, and religious practice is punished. Family contact is restricted, and even phone calls may be monitored.

In 2023, the UN Human Rights Council reported that around one million Tibetan children were subjected to such schooling, calling it a “large-scale forced system aimed at assimilation.”

President Xi Jinping himself stated in 2024 that education should instill a “shared Chinese national identity” from early childhood.

The exile government’s educational vision stands in direct opposition to policies inside Tibet—policies also seen in Xinjiang and elsewhere.

Pressure on Religion

Assimilation extends beyond education. Tibetan Buddhism, the spiritual backbone of Tibetan society, is also targeted.

Temples are monitored with cameras; officials are stationed inside, and sermons and pilgrims are watched. Places once dedicated to spiritual refuge have become instruments of surveillance.

Under such repression, self-immolation protests have increased. Since 2009, more than 150 cases have occurred. Unarmed individuals—often young monks, nuns, and students—have chosen to burn themselves as a final act of protest, leaving messages such as “Protect the Tibetan language” and “Let the Dalai Lama return home.”

Authorities confiscate bodies, forbid mourning, and erase all traces of these acts.

Even religious leadership is manipulated. The Dalai Lama recognized a young boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as the 11th Panchen Lama in 1995. He disappeared shortly thereafter. China installed its own Panchen Lama, asserting state control over religious succession.

Similar interference is anticipated regarding the future reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. His Holiness has clearly stated that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust holds authority over this process.

Not Domination, but Coexistence

With reductions in U.S. foreign aid, including support for Tibet, China’s oppression and control may intensify. Silence breeds repression and tyranny.

What happens in Tibet affects Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even Japan’s security environment. Ignoring Tibet risks further oppression and atrocities in the region.

Yet the Tibetan Government-in-Exile does not seek confrontation. Its core philosophy is the Middle Way—seeking genuine autonomy within China, as guaranteed by China’s own constitution.

Tibetan leaders consistently say, “We do not seek conflict. We want to build a peaceful future together.” Rooted in Buddhist values, they believe that while force can subdue bodies, it cannot command hearts.

China may be a powerful nation materially, but is it respected? Respect comes from choosing coexistence over domination.

Even without a state, Tibetans preserve their cultural and educational identity. The international community should not remain silent; it must show solidarity with the Tibetan people. I choose to speak and to stand with them.

• Sadayuki Komori, born in Osaka Prefecture in 1983, after withdrawing from Meiji University’s Faculty of Political Science and Economics, graduated from the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Business and Management. Resided in Singapore, Thailand, and Australia before being elected for the first time in the April 2023 Takatsuki City Council election in Osaka Prefecture. The original article appeared in [http://Born%20in%20Osaka%20Prefecture%20in%201983.%20After%20withdrawing%20from%20Meiji%20University’s%20Faculty%20of%20Political%20Science%20and%20Economics,%20graduated%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Nottingham’s%20Faculty%20of%20Business%20and%20Management.%20Resided%20in%20Singapore,%20Thailand,%20and%20Australia%20before%20being%20elected%20for%20the%20first%20time%20in%20the%20April%202023%20Takatsuki%20City%20Council%20election%20in%20Osaka%20Prefecture.]Seiron January issue in the Japanese language. He is a member of the Japan Regional Parliamentarian Support Group for Tibet.