In the 1950s, thousands of ordinary Tibetans rose up to defend their country and religion against Chinese troops. their citizen army fought through 1974 with covert support from the Tibetan exile government of India, Nepal, and the United States. Decades later, the story of this resistance is only beginning to be told and has not yet entered the annals of Tibetan national history. In this book, the author shows how and why histories of this resistance army are "arrested" and explains the ensuing repercussions for the Tibetan refugee community. Recognition hinges on the Dalai Lama and "historical arrest", a practice in which the telling of certain past events is suspended until an undetermined time in the future. In this analysis, struggles over history emerge as a profound pain of belonging. Tibetan cultural politics, regional identities, and religious commitments cannot be disentangled from imperial histories, contemporary geopolitics, and romanticized representations of Tibet. Moving deftly from armed struggle to nonviolent hunger strikes, and from diplomatic offices to refugee camps, this book provides powerful insights into the stakes of political engagement and the cultural contradictions of everyday life. -- from Back Cover

Includes maps of: Tibet (Chol Kha Gsum/Three Regions Model); Tibetan Areas of the Peoples' Republic of China; Kham (Eastern Tibet); Himalayas - Selected Tibetan Refugee Communities.

Empire and the state of Tibet -- The pains of belonging -- 1956 : year of the fire monkey -- The golden throne -- History and memory as social practice -- War in exile -- In a clouded mirror -- Secrets, the CIA, and the politics of truth -- A nonviolent history of war -- Conclusion : truth, fear, and lies.