Tibet’s exiled Muslims show intricacies of culture, identity for refugees

This Grand Mosque in Lhasa, Tibet, has been renovated several times over three centuries. The main gate combines Arabic, Tibetan and Chinese architectures. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Like the colorful, intricately drawn Tibetan sand mandala, Tibet is a rich cultural and religious tapestry that includes both Buddhist and Muslim communities. The country is not a monolithic Buddhist society as it is often portrayed. The Chinese invasion of Tibet and the resulting diplomatic battle between India and China over the status of the country's Muslim exiles in 1960 may show that, just like the ceremonial destruction of the sand mandala, the culture and identity of refugee communities can be both complex and fragile, according to a Penn State historian. "What we are seeing now - within both Tibetan Muslim and Buddhist refugee communities - is there continues to be this identity crisis about what and who they really are," said David Atwill , associate professor of history and Asian studies.