Actually, I think that what the people of Tibet are living under is one degree worse than a communist dictatorship. That is, it is the Chinese intent to *replace* the Tibetans with Han Chinese.
The Chinese are using the same technique in the Uighur regions of the West. They import so many Han Chinese to an area that by far they outnumber the local residents. They take over all commerce and slowly marginalize the local economy so much that it dies out.
Since the Uighur region is much larger, but has a smaller population, its integration into China is somewhat faster than what is planned for Tibet, where Tibetans still outnumber Han Chinese.
So this means a restoration of a free Tibet will almost have to involve the expulsion of the Han Chinese already there. Ethnic cleansing in response to ethnic displacement.
Would the Tibetans have a problem with expelling the Han Chinese if they regained their independence? Probably not, no more than the Kurds have expelling the Arabs from their lands for much the same reason. But what then?
There is no model for a democratic Tibet. The Dalai Lama and the other high lamas are the religious lords and princes of the people. And while they might wish to be benevolent rulers, there is no secular law.
So what is their Buddhist law that would rule Tibet?
http://www.budtempchi.org/12prin.html
Apply these to a case of murder, robbery, and rape. What punishments would you expect to be meted out by the policeman/judge/jury/monk who has arrested you?
The obvious problems should start to present themselves.
What Buddhist nations have Police/Judge/Jury/Monk forms of law enforcement?
You didn't read the article did you?
“So this means a restoration of a free Tibet will almost have to involve the expulsion of the Han Chinese already there.”
The Han Chinese were resettled in Tibet by the ChiCom regime much against the wishes of the Tibetians and, in some cases, the Hans themselves. You ought to be ashamed of using an ethic cleansing argument when it comes to the Han Chinese - who are by far the current experts in all forms of genocide.
Welcome to FR, btw.