Tibet is a land of mystery and enchantment.

High in the Himalayas, it has been known as “the forbidden land,” a reference to the fact that it closed its borders to foreigners in 1752. Perhaps its best defining feature, though, is the fact that it is a peace-loving nation, influenced by its unique brand of Buddhism.

Tibet is best exemplified in the life of one man. If there is a personification of Tibet, it is in His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet. His title came from the Mongolians and means “Ocean of Wisdom.” The present Dalai Lama, and all previous Dalai lamas, are thought to be the incarnation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, known by his Sanskrit name Avalokiteshvara to most, but as Chenrezig to the Tibetans. According to legend, Chenrezig made a vow that he would not rest until he had liberated all the beings in all the realms of suffering. The Dalai Lama continues to live by this ideal.

It is against this backdrop of a tranquil, peace-loving nation and an enlightened spiritual and political leader that the Chinese government attacked Tibet.

In 1949, when the Dalai Lama was 15 years old, the communist Chinese government invaded the sovereign nation of Tibet. Although attempting to win the hearts of the Tibetan people at first, the Chinese soon learned that the people would not stand for the slow destruction of their faith and culture. In 1959, after 10 years of coddling the Tibetans in an attempt to gain their favor, the rape of Tibet began.

As a direct result of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, more than 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the nation’s population, lost their lives. The Tibetan army at the time numbered only 8,500. In addition, more than 6,000 monasteries, temples and places of historical significance were destroyed.

Although many Western nations are sympathetic to the plight of the Tibetan people, they have been reluctant to provide much more than moral support. In spite of numerous U.N. General Assembly resolutions, the rogue state of China maintains its suffocating grip on the Tibetan people.

Although the worst atrocities against the Tibetan people have now passed, the Chinese government continues its ruthless campaign to force the Tibetan people into capitulation.

In spite of such brutality on the part of the Chinese regime in Tibet, the Dalai Lama has maintained the highest ideals of his faith and culture by seeking a peaceful solution to the Chinese occupation. He has outlined means by which the Chinese may maintain control over the foreign affairs of Tibet while at the same time allowing Tibetans autonomy over internal affairs. Although his work has won the praise of Western nations and world leaders, even earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, the Chinese government has continued to maintain a hard line against Tibet.

As much as the Bush administration likes to claim that the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein’s regime warranted an invasion of Iraq, the administration turns a blind eye to the suffering of the Tibetan people under Chinese rule. Instead of demanding the release of Tibet from Chinese occupation, Beijing is given most favored nation trading status and the 2008 Olympic games. Such hypocrisy is one of the reasons the U.S. government is not thought well of.

Although our government may give little more than lip service to the plight of the Tibetan people, there are things we can do to help. Organizations like Students for a Free Tibet offer ways to get involved that actually make a difference and keep Chinese involvement in Tibet in check. Tibetan independence is something that can happen if we throw our support behind it. If we truly claim to be defenders of freedom, we must not turn our backs on Tibet.

They need us now as much as ever. Together, we can make a difference and establish a free Tibet once more.