This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

Tibetans' Risky Road to Freedom

Early one morning, Sonam Dolker's father shook her awake. He whispered to Sonam, 8, that she and her 6-year-old sister would have to escape secretly from their home.

Their home was in Tibet, a beautiful Asian land under the strict rule of China. The girls' parents wanted more freedom for their daughters. So they arranged for a guide to sneak Sonam and her sister across the border to India.

For two months, the girls traveled over the snow and ice of the Himalaya mountains. Finally, they arrived safely in northern India.

By the end of this winter, 5,000 Tibetans, 1,000 children among them, will make this dangerous trip. They are willing to risk frostbite, arrest, even death, to escape life under Chinese rule.

Leaving A Beloved Land
Tibet has a rich history and culture. But the Chinese do not let Tibetans fly their flag or properly practice their religion, Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai (Dahl-eye) Lama, Tibet's leader, has lived in India for 30 years. He is working to free Tibet. But, he says, "there has been no progress."

Nearly 100,000 Tibetans have joined the Dalai Lama in India. Most cross into India in winter, when there are fewer Chinese police at the border. Not all survive the trip.

In India, Tibetan kids can study their language and religion. But they miss their families. Most live in crowded foster homes, sleeping two or three to a bed.

Parents say this is better than living under Chinese rule. But when the children finish school, there are few jobs for them in India.

Sonam Tsering, 17, has lived in India for 10 years. He dreams of a free Tibet: "Then I will return to develop my country and build a good life."

---

A Look At Tibet

Population 2.4 million, including 100,000 Chinese.
Geography Tibet is a mountainous land about the size of Texas, New Mexico, and Utah combined.
History Tibet was once a separate nation. It has its own language, customs and religion. But from 1949 to 1950, China invaded and took over Tibet. Tibetans have set up their own government and schools in India. But China refuses to give Tibetans control of their land.

Next: Found: One Mean Raptor