China Admits Removing Buddhist Statue from Tibet

The International Campaign for Tibet has word that China has admitted removing a huge gilded statue of Guru Rinpoche from Tibet, despite the human shield of 20 Tibetans surrounding the statue.

The destruction of the statue, which sits on a pilgrimage route around the sacred Mt. Kailash, is a further example of China tightening its grip on religion in Tibet.

In recent times, as Chinese officials have asserted their "right" to determine which Tibetan Buddhist lamas can be reincarnated, their interference in Tibet's sacred practices has alarmed Buddhists throughout the world, including the Dalai Lama. That's part of the reason you now hear him calling for "autonomy" and not full and free separation from China.