The country has been systematically colonized, so that indigenous inhabitants are now a second-class minority. Not only are Tibetans being squeezed out by Chinese settlers but there are also reports of Tibetan women being forcibly sterilized and of healthy babies being killed at birth. Thousands of Tibetans languish in prison and suffer appalling torture. Rich mineral resources have been plundered and the delicate ecosystem devastated. Buddhism, the lifeblood of Tibet, is being ruthlessly suppressed.

Mary Craig tells the story of Tibet with candor and power. Based upon extensive research and interviews with large numbers of refugees now living in exile in India, Tears of Blood uncovers the four decades of religious persecution, environmental devastation, and human atrocities that have caused Tibetans to weep "tears of blood".