For decades now, March has been a politically sensitive month for Tibetans, when Chinese authorities ramp up restrictions and security measures.
That’s because a series of important events and acts of Tibetan resistance have happened during this month over the years, starting with the March 10, 1959, uprising against Chinese rule.
This year, too, Beijing has intensified security and surveillance measures across Tibet, conducting inspections and holding provincial, county and township level meetings to issue strict directives to take action to “win the stability battle” in March.
Additional police and military forces have been deployed in the capital of Lhasa, including religious sites such as the Jokhang Temple and Sera Monastery, according to two sources in the region. Security personnel have been patrolling neighborhoods even at 3 a.m., they said.
Social media censorship and internet shutdowns prevent Tibetans from sharing information with the outside world.
What happened on March 10, 1959?
On that day 66 years ago, tens of thousands of Tibetans in Lhasa rose up against Chinese rule, which had begun when Mao Zedong’s Communists invaded and forcibly annexed Tibet in 1950.
The revolt was in direct response to growing Chinese repression and fears for the safety of the Dalai Lama. As Chinese forces rose to crush the rebellion, thousands of Tibetans died.
That prompted the Dalai Lama, 23 years old at the time, to flee to northern India with thousands of other Tibetans, where he and a large community of Tibetans live to this day in Dharamsala.
Ever since, March 10 has been marked at as the anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, with marches and protests in various locations around the world. Tibetans have used the day to honor the courage of those who rebelled, press China to stop its repression of Tibetans and voice their hope for a homeland where they can live freely.
March 12: Women’s Uprising Day
On March 12, 1959, two days after the uprising, thousands of Tibetan women went into the streets of Lhasa to protest the violent crackdown and demand Tibet’s freedom. Many were arrested, tortured, or killed.
This movement remains a powerful symbol of Tibetan resistance and female-led activism. Today, Tibetans and their supporters organize marches and gatherings worldwide to honor the courage of these women.
This year, in cities and towns globally, including in India, North America, and in Europe, the Tibetan Women’s Association organized marches that included students, Buddhist nuns and activists who amplified the voices of past Tibetan women patriots and assert the role of Tibetan women living in exile.
March 14: Lhasa protest and crackdown
Many years later, on March 14, 2008, large-scale protests erupted in Lhasa against Chinese rule and religious repression, erosion of Tibetan culture and economic marginalization.
What began as a peaceful protest quickly escalated into the biggest uprisings in Tibet since 1959, triggering a violent crackdown, resulting in hundreds of arrests, disappearances and deaths.
March 16: Killing of unarmed protesters in Ngaba
Two days later, at least 10 Tibetans, including 16-year-old schoolgirl Lhundup Tso, were killed when police opened fire on unarmed protesters following a morning prayer session at Kirti Monastery, which is in the Ngaba region in Sichuan province.
Many Buddhist monks and laypeople were subsequently imprisoned and tortured. During police raids at Kirti, images of the Dalai Lama and other senior religious figures were destroyed. In June of that year, troops raided the Sey Monastery, where they shattered portraits of the Dalai Lama and harassed monks who were on retreat.
Ngaba remains one of the most heavily militarized Tibetan regions. Around March every year, the Kirti Monastery faces severe restrictions, with security forces closely monitoring monks and local residents.
March 2012: 11 Tibetans self-immolated.
A wave of self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet began in 2011 and intensified in 2012. Desperate to show their opposition to China’s repressive policies, a total of 11 Tibetans set fire to themselves during March 2012, the highest number of such cases recorded in a single month.
They ranged in age from 18 to 44 years, and seven were from Ngaba. Many appeared to have done this during March because of its significance.
March 28: China declares ‘Serfs’ Emancipation Day’
In 2009, China declared March 28 as “Serfs’ Emancipation Day” to celebrate what Beijing said marks the ‘liberation’ in 1959 from Tibet’s ”feudal system.”
The Communist Party claims this day marks Tibet’s progress under Chinese rule, but Tibetans reject it as state propaganda justifying Chinese occupation.
Chinese authorities organize parades and other events and alternative narratives are suppressed.
What does the Dalai Lama say about the future of Tibet?
Beijing believes the Dalai Lama wants to split off the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas in Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces from the rest of the country.
However, the Dalai Lama does not advocate for independence but rather a “Middle Way” that accepts Tibet’s status as a part of China and urges greater cultural and religious freedoms, including strengthened language rights that are guaranteed for ethnic minorities under China’s constitution.
Do Tibetans living in exile protest in March?
Yes. Every March 10, Tibetans and their supporters around the world organize protests and solidarity events marking the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising.
These protests serve as a powerful reminder of Tibet’s ongoing struggle for freedom and human rights.
Edited by Tenzin Pema, Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.