By Khedroob Thondup

The question of whether Tibetan lamas living in exile should return to Tibet on invitations orchestrated by Beijing’s United Front Work Department (UFWD) is not a matter of mere travel. It is a test of political integrity, spiritual responsibility, and communal survival. The stakes are profound: a visit risks transforming revered spiritual leaders into instruments of propaganda, undermining both the exile community and Tibetans inside Tibet.

The UFWD’s Strategy of Co-optation. The UFWD is not a neutral cultural body. It is a political arm of the Chinese Communist Party tasked with absorbing dissent, neutralizing opposition, and projecting an image of harmony under Party rule. When Tibetan lamas are invited to Tibet, the UFWD frames their presence as proof of “unity” and “acceptance” of Chinese sovereignty. Such visits are choreographed spectacles, designed to show the world that Tibet&...