The Little Mountain Democracy That Sustains Tibet’s Refugee Nation

10 months ago

The exile government that was built by the Dalai Lama to preserve Tibetans’ cultural identity will be put to the test by his eventual succession.

By Mujib Mashal and Hari Kumar

Visuals by Atul Loke

Reporting from Dharamsala and Bylakuppe, India, home to the largest settlements of Tibetan refugees.

As the Dalai Lama built a nation in exile after fleeing Chinese persecution in the 1950s, the young leader pinned its survival on an idea that had long fascinated him: democracy.

It was part natural inclination, part strategy.

Original Article