By International Campaign for Tibet.
The International Campaign for Tibet is deeply concerned about reports of a wave of detentions in eastern Tibet. The detentions in Wonpo (Chinese:Wenbo) township in Sershul (Shiqu) County, Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province have been ongoing since August amid a crackdown on Tibetan language activism and possession of images of the Dalai Lama.
According to reports, Chinese security have undertaken raids into private homes and arrested more than 100 Tibetans.
“The crackdown in eastern Tibet is unacceptable and must stop immediately,” the International Campaign for Tibet said. “Images of the Dalai Lama are not illegal, and advocacy to preserve the endangered Tibetan language must be protected, not persecuted. As in other parts of Tibet, Chinese authorities are instilling a climate of fear in Kardze. But rather than demonstrate China’s strength, these latest arrests only show how illegitimate Chinese rule in Tibet remains after more than six decades of occupation.”
In light of the upcoming 2022 Beijing Olympics, which China is using to project a positive image to the world, ICT calls on governments to apply pressure on China to ensure it does not increase its repression in Tibet before or during the Games. The International Olympic Committee and the international community must make sure the Olympics are not used for increased human rights violations by the Chinese government.
ICT believes that instead of increased repression, the only lasting solution in Tibet is for China to resume meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives.
Read the full report here.