Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, June 8
Lobsang Sangay, Tibetan Sikyong (leader of Tibetan people-in-exile), on Wednesday flayed China for its allegation that Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) was involved in the ongoing anti- mining protests in north eastern Tibet.
“The allegation by the local Chinese authorities that the CTA is engaged in the anti-mining protests in Minyak and Amchok are unfounded, baseless and unacceptable,” said Sangay while addressing a press conference here.
“These protests are result of occupation of Tibet, repression of the Tibetan people and environmental destruction on the roof of the world,” Sangay alleged. Protests in Amchok in Sangchu of Tibet began on May 31 against the mining in mountainous region. The Chinese police had unleashed a brutal crackdown on Tibetan protestors and warned against any kind of meeting. “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful protests and demonstrations. Therefore, to have an official local circular which categorically declares punishment for peaceful protestors is against the human rights norm and unacceptable,” Sangay said.
As far as the CTA is concerned, Sangay said, “Our environment policy is simple that any project related to environment has to be environmentally sustainable, culturally sensitive in the context of Tibetan people’s religious and cultural sentiment and economically beneficial to the local Tibetans.
“The mining activities in Minyak and Amchok are in clear violation of Chinese environmental guidelines,” alleged Sangay. “First of all, the extractions of minerals being done in Minyak and Amchok are illegal without consent of local Tibetans and are causing environmental degradation,” he said.
Tempa Gyaltsen, researcher at Tibet Policy Institute’s Environment and Development Desk, Tempa Gyaltsen, provided a detailed report on the environmental abuses as result of the two mining activities. “Since 2009, there have been 30 recorded cases of anti-mining protests in Tibet and 2016 has seen the most number of protests than in the previous years,” said Gyaltsen.
As of recently, he said, Tibetans in Minyak Lhagang, Dartsedo County in Karze Prefecture held a two-day protest against Lichu river contamination caused by lithium extraction in the area. The mining was temporarily put at halt citing environmental problems and in order to resolve remaining issues. The Chinese government and the local authorities should take concern of the rising number of anti-mining protests by Tibetans and resort to better treatment of the situation instead of giving punishment. Three Tibetans have self immolated at the mine site to protest the unethical mining, he said.
