The FRONTLINE Dispatch

Life in Tibet and What Comes Next

Feb 21, 2025

Gesbeen Mohammad, an award-winning producer and director known for the documentary 'Battle for Tibet,' shares critical insights on life in Tibet under 75 years of Chinese Communist control. He discusses the ongoing cultural repression and the risks of documenting the region's struggles, including the challenges faced by journalists and Tibetans. The conversation also touches on the impact of Chinese boarding schools on Tibetan identity and language, as well as the future of the Dalai Lama and the implications for Tibetan Buddhism and culture.

17:51

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Gesbeen Mohammad

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Quick takeaways

The Chinese government's extensive surveillance in Tibet creates a climate of self-censorship among residents, undermining freedom of expression.

As the Dalai Lama nears his 90th birthday, concerns about his succession reveal potential conflicts over Tibetan cultural identity and autonomy.

Deep dives

Surveillance and Control in Tibet

Surveillance has become a critical tool for the Chinese government in enforcing control over the Tibetan population. The documentary reveals that Tibet is one of the most closely monitored regions, featuring extensive surveillance systems, including cameras and police checkpoints. These surveillance measures instill a pervasive culture of self-censorship among both Tibetan and Han Chinese residents, who feel compelled to speak cautiously due to the ever-present risk of repercussions. Experts highlighted that this systematic monitoring is central to subjugating the Tibetan people and suppressing freedom of expression.

Intro

3min

Tibet Undercover: Documenting Struggles and Resistance

9min

Contrasting Perspectives on Tibetan Education and Culture

3min

Cultural Education and Linguistic Challenges in Tibet

2min

Challenges in Reporting Tibet and the Future of the Dalai Lama

3min

After 75 years of Chinese Communist Party rule in Tibet, and as Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, approaches his 90th birthday, Tibet is at a critical juncture. FRONTLINE’s documentary Battle For Tibet goes inside the long-running struggle over the future of the mountainous region.

Award-winning producer and director Gesbeen Mohammad joins The FRONTLINE Dispatch to discuss what the film reveals about life in Tibet now, and the uncertain future for Tibetan Buddhism, language and culture.

Drawing on undercover footage, interviews with Tibet and China experts, Chinese government statements, and accounts from Tibetans now living in exile, Battle For Tibet examines the Chinese government’s tight control over the territory, including its system of boarding schools and a vast network of surveillance inside places like monasteries.

“Tibet is one of the world's most tightly guarded regions,” Mohammad told Raney Aronson-Rath, FRONTLINE’s editor-in-chief and executive producer. “So it felt like an important area to examine…particularly as there are various allegations that some of the policies are infringing on Tibetan’s religion and unique culture.”

You can stream Battle For Tibet on FRONTLINE’s website, FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel, or the PBS App.

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The FRONTLINE Dispatch

Life in Tibet and What Comes Next

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Surveillance and Control in Tibet

The Dalai Lama's Succession and Its Implications

Education and Cultural Erosion through Boarding Schools

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts