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by Feng Yongfeng

[chinadialogue.net]

October 02, 2008

Herders
from the ecologically degraded Tibetan Plateau expected a better life
when they were relocated to newly constructed urban homes. But they
were disappointed, writes Feng Yongfeng.

The grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau are
steadily degrading, a phenomenon that the Chinese government blames on
the cattle and sheep kept by local herders. From 2003, many of the
herders in the area known as the Three Rivers Source, from which the
Yangtze River, Yellow River and Mekong (Lancang) River originate, have
been moved to the outskirts of urban areas in order to give the
grasslands some respite. I found, however, that a failure to
effectively replace herders’ livelihoods has led to a drop in their
living standards. 

The 631 million yuan (US$92 million) resettlement
project aims to resettle 89,358 people in more than 10 counties, cities
and autonomous prefectures of Qinghai province. To date, almost 60,000
people in 10,000 households have been moved from their homes to the
outskirts of county seats, where the authorities provide housing and
living subsidies.  

The county of Zhiduo is known as the “first county on the Yangtze” and is home to the famous Hoh Xil,
or Kekexili Nature Reserve. The village of Suojia, in Zhiduo, covers
8,000 square kilometres. It is an important habitat for wildlife
including the Tibetan antelope and it is the source of the Tongtian
River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. Since 2005, as part of the
ecological resettlement program, herders have been moved from Suojia to
the outskirts of the county town, forming a “migrant village” of almost
200 households. 

The
county town itself is not large, but there is a short distance between
the migrants and the town proper, leading to a psychological gap
between the two populations.  

“Zhaduo” (a contraction of the Tibetan name Tashi
Dorje), the deputy secretary-general of the Qinghai Three Rivers
Ecological Protection Association, was once an assistant to Sonam Dargyi,
a hero in the fight to save the Tibetan antelope who in 2006 received a
posthumous CCTV award for his work, after he was murdered by poachers
in 1994.  

Zhaduo knows the new arrivals well. If they are
not relatives, they are his friends. I accompanied him on visits to
many of the migrants’ homes. The government has provided each family
with an identical house with a newly dug well in the yard and a stove
in the centre of the house. This is the sum total of household goods
the government has provided. Each household receives an annual subsidy
of 6,000 yuan ($877) and an extra 1,000 yuan ($146) for fuel. These
subsidies will be provided for 10 years, after which the migrants are
free to return to their homes, if they wish.  

The Kunlun Ethnic Culture Village, on the
southern outskirts of Ge’ermu, is mainly occupied by ecological
migrants from Qumalai county, where the Yellow River has its source. In
Kunlun, 240 households have been settled; like those in Zhiduo, the
migrants live outside the town proper. Their children can attend school
in the town and they can use the local hospitals, but they are still
regarded as “incomers” and are officially under the administration of
their original county government.  

Tsering Lobsang used to be a village head in
Qumalai county. In 2005, like many other villagers, he was happy to
hear about the relocation. Life in the city was bound to be better, he
thought. But things were not as easy as he had hoped. “Here you’ve got
to buy everything, but on the pastures we already had everything we
needed: we got it all from the animals. We burned dung for fuel there,
but here we’ve got to pay for coal or gas. There we got water from the
river, here it is piped and it’s only on for an hour a day. At home we
can go to the toilet anywhere, there’s no danger of pollution. Here
we’ve got a flushing toilet, but that’s no use without water.” 

Tsering Lobsang is worried about the future:
“After we arrived here, we sold off our livestock. Our houses were
knocked down and the pastures were handed over to the state. But now we
are here we can’t find work. Lots of people are just sitting at home
all day.” 

The new arrivals stand out in Ge’ermu, which did
not have many Tibetan residents previously. According to the plan, the
village was to build a range of public facilities, but the majority of
them have not appeared. A rubbish collection point was built in 2006,
but its contents were never taken away. It quickly filled up and
started to stink. In the end, the village had no option but to dig a
hole on some empty ground and use it as a dump. 

The authorities of Qumalai, Zhiduo and Ge’ermu
always hoped to provide jobs. The government has on occasion dispatched
study groups to find solutions, but a lack of resources and technology
has prevented any breakthrough. The migrants often feel they have been
discarded.  

A cadre from Qumalai said that the herders living
on the outskirts of cities are themselves a “tourism resource”:
attractions based around their horses, ethnic dances and traditional
tents could be developed. This was the idea behind Kunlun Ethnic
Culture Village, where some of the migrants put up tents, with the
young folk employed in service and entertainment jobs. But visitor
numbers have been low.  

In the migrant villages there is a small shop
every few paces. This does not need any technology to set up, but
business is slow and they are unlikely to survive. Some of the
villagers have given up and gone home to work as herders for people who
were allowed to stay on the pastures, which brings in a small income.  

The residents of Kunlun started a stone-carving
workshop in order to sell carvings to tourists. But visitor numbers
were low and those who did come were not keen on carrying a heavy piece
of stone home, so few were sold. Now a clothing factory is planned, but
without funds it is unlikely to get off the ground.  

Zhaduo is even more worried than the others: he
doesn’t know if the villagers will be able to integrate into town life,
or if they will be able to get used to their original lifestyles if
they move back in 10 years time.  

He says that traditional Tibetan lifestyles are
very environmentally friendly, especially because of Tibetan religious
traditions. Tibetan Buddhism advocates respect for life and nature, and
teachings about sacred mountains and holy lakes match well with current
environmental concepts. It is very easy to use these traditions and
religious teachings to urge local herders to fight against
environmentally damaging behaviour. A partnership between the Qinghai
Three Rivers Ecological Protection Association and Conservation
International proved the efficacy of this method.  

“If the locals can realise environmental
protection and sustainable development without relocating, would there
be any need to move them?” asks Zhaduo. Perhaps this could be a new
solution. 

Backgrounder: the Three Rivers Source 

The “Three Rivers Source” refers to the sources
of the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Mekong, or Lancang River,
located on the Tibetan Plateau in western China, in southern Qinghai
province. The area covers 302,500 square kilometres and has a current
population of 556,000, 90% of whom are Tibetan. There are also Han,
Hui, Salar and Mongol residents.  

Historically this was an area of alpine meadows
dotted with lakes, home to wild plants and animals. In recent decades
glaciers and snow on the mountains have receded. Lakes and wetlands are
shrinking; the land is drying up and becoming desert. Soil and water is
being lost from a wider area. Desertification and degradation of
grasslands is worsening. Forests have been damaged and 20% of local
species are endangered. In some areas it is hard for locals to survive
and they have no choice but to move. 

–Feng Yongfeng is a science reporter for Guangming Daily