When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

You've reach your limit of free articles.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime.

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Ad-free experience NEW

Exclusive international news coverage

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Monthly Access

30-day free trial, then $2.90 per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
This Happened

This Happened - March 31: Dalai Lama Flees For His Life

On this day in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama crossed the border from Tibet to India seeking political asylum because he and his followers were facing increasing persecution from the Chinese government. The Chinese had occupied Tibet in 1950, and tensions between the Tibetan people and the Chinese authorities had been escalating.

Get This Happened straight to your inbox ✉️ each day! Sign up here.

Who is the 14th Dalai Lama?

The 14th Dalai Lama, also known as Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile. He was born in 1935 in Tibet and became the Dalai Lama at the age of 2.

How did the Dalai Lama travel from Tibet to India?

The Dalai Lama traveled from Tibet to India on foot, along with a small group of his closest advisors and supporters. They crossed the Himalayan Mountains, a treacherous journey that took several weeks. They were eventually able to reach the Indian border, where they were granted political asylum.

How did India react to the 14th Dalai Lama's arrival?

India was initially wary of granting political asylum to the Dalai Lama, as they were concerned about angering the Chinese government. However, they eventually decided to offer him sanctuary, and the Dalai Lama has been living in India ever since. India has also provided support to the Tibetan government-in-exile, which is based in the northern Indian city of Dharamsala.

What has the Dalai Lama been doing since he arrived in India?

Since arriving in India, the Dalai Lama has been a vocal advocate for Tibetan independence and human rights. He has also traveled extensively around the world, promoting peace, compassion, and interfaith dialogue. In addition, he has written numerous books and given countless speeches and interviews, sharing his teachings and insights with people around the world.

What is the current status of Tibet?

Tibet is still under Chinese control, and the Chinese government considers it to be a part of China. However, many Tibetans continue to advocate for independence or greater autonomy, and there are ongoing tensions between the Tibetan people and the Chinese authorities. The Tibetan government-in-exile, led by the Dalai Lama, continues to operate in India, and works to promote the cause of Tibetan independence and human rights.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Geopolitics

Senegal's Democratic Unrest And The Ghosts Of French Colonialism

The violence that erupted following the sentencing of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison left 16 people dead and 500 arrested. This reveals deep fractures in Senegalese democracy that has traces to France's colonial past.

Image of Senegalese ​Protesters celebrating Sonko being set free by the court, March 2021

Protesters celebrate Sonko being set free by the court, March 2021

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

PARIS — For a long time, Senegal had the glowing image of one of Africa's rare democracies. The reality was more complicated than that, even in the days of the poet-president Léopold Sedar Senghor, who also had his dark side.

But for years, the country has been moving down what Senegalese intellectual Felwine Sarr describes as the "gentle slope of... the weakening and corrosion of the gains of Senegalese democracy."

This has been demonstrated once again over the last few days, with a wave of violence that has left 16 people dead, 500 arrested, the internet censored, and a tense situation with troubling consequences. The trigger? The sentencing last Thursday of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison, which could exclude him from the 2024 presidential elections.

Young people took to the streets when the verdict was announced, accusing the justice system of having become a political tool. Ousmane Sonko had been accused of rape but was convicted of "corruption of youth," a change that rendered the decision incomprehensible.

Keep reading...Show less

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

You've reach your limit of free articles.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime.

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Ad-free experience NEW

Exclusive international news coverage

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Monthly Access

30-day free trial, then $2.90 per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch

The latest