Video message exposes illegal sand mining and absence of consultation with local Tibetans in China’s petition system.

-by Tibet Watch 

A Tibetan petitioner has appealed the central Chinese leadership to protect the river ecosystem of his hometown from being irreversibly damaged by illegal extraction of sand – one of the most mined resources indispensable for urbanisation and construction.

On 15 October, Tsowo Tsering, a Tibetan man in his late twenties, shared a video message on his social media account in a desperate measure to reach out to the central Chinese government. The video, which has now been removed, reveals drone footage of numerous vast open pits caused by mining of sand from the riverbed of his hometown of Tsaruma, and ends with a series of appeals to the central government.

Tsowo delivered the entirety of his message in Chinese, calling for ecological protection, punishment for those involved in its destruction, and restoration of the river ecosystem that has been damaged by Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company. He also earnestly requested for investigation into local government departments acting in collusion with the corporation, and for the central government to adhere to a motto which China has been widely promoting since 2018 as part of Xi Jinping’s thought of “ecological civilisation” : lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.

He chronicled how the extraction, taking place during construction of a road that is carved centrally through the river, has left behind a trail of destruction since May 2023, causing soil erosion and pollution of the Tsaruma River.

He shared that no one from his village was consulted during the review process of their petition, the decision of which Tsowo said he was informed in April 2024, stating, that Tsaruma pastoralists had been informed “multiple times, in writing or in person,” about the results of investigation carried out by the Department of Transportation and Water Affairs.

The decision was informed to Tsowo in a letter from the Ecological Protection Bureau of Chungchu County, which concluded that Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company had been penalised and their extraction declared illegal. However, Tsowo explained in the video that no action had been taken till date to restore the river ecosystem despite his fellow villagers having submitted photos and video evidence of damaged sites to various echelons of government authorities: Tsaruma Township government, Chungchu County Commission for Discipline Inspection, Environmental Protection Bureau and Water Affairs Bureau of Chungchu County, as well as Ngawa Prefecture Water Affairs Bureau and Environmental Protection Department.

Tsowo’s message is an example of the growing knowledge of young Tibetans that China does have environment laws, and that they apply in Tibet, the Water Tower of Asia. Showing understanding of China’s power structures, he calls on the Discipline Inspection Commission of Chinese Communist Party to be asked to take action. He warned that “the low cost of violating the law” causes not least, destabilsation of the foundation of housing infrastructure of Tsaruma pastoralists, but also threatens the biodiversity of surrounding region, and exacerbates water security of Machu and Drichu River.

Tsaruma River is a tributary in the township that goes by the same name. Smaller rivers of the county of Tsaruma Township become tributaries of Machu (Yellow) and Drichu (Yangtse) River, both of which flows into mainland China. The township of Tsaruma (Ch: Chaerma) is located in Chungchu (Ch: Hong yuan) County, Ngawa (Ch: Aba )Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Click here to read more.