the real need to support the Tibetan cause is because culturally and as far as religion goes Tibet is similar to India than to china.. China is communist hence an atheist country while Tibet is country that believes in god (religion) jus like our country... India has places of worship in Tibet and so also tibetieans (buddists) have a lot of places of worship in India... Tibetiean though look more like chinnes (Mongolian race) have more thing in common with us Indians than they have with China... and this is what tibetieans are saying.. and in some point of time when the british ruled india.. a part of tibet also was india... these people relate to india rather than china...
