The ongoing demolition by Chinese authorities of Tibetan dwellings near a scenic lake in northwestern China’s Qinghai province has left over 900 homeless and living in tents following a renewed assault, according to sources in the region and in exile.
The destruction in Gonpodung Kala village in Chabcha (in Chinese, Gonghe) county’s Trelnak township in the Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture took place late last week after the leveling a few days earlier of homes and shops elsewhere in Trelnak, a local source told RFA’s Tibetan Service.
“On Oct. 22, a group of police arrived with bulldozers and began at around 4:20 p.m. to tear down over 240 houses built by Tibetan residents,” RFA’s source said, adding, “The authorities gave no reasons for the demolition.”
“Afterward, about 960 Tibetans from the village were left without houses and had to take shelter in tents,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“They were not allowed to take photos of the wreckage or to go anywhere near their destroyed property,” he added.
Speaking separately, a Tibetan living in exile confirmed the resident’s account, citing contacts in the area.
“The Tibetan victims were given no chance to question the Chinese actions,” Dolma Tso told RFA from her home in India.
“The demolition was completed within a short time, and the Tibetans were not allowed near the site of their demolished homes,” she said.
Crowding, pollution
The destruction in Kala village followed by just five days a similar operation in Trelnak in which “Chinese officials and police arrived and tore down 30 structures built by the Tibetans as dwellings and place of business around Qinghai Lake,” a source told RFA in an earlier report.
The structures had been financed by personal loans and were constructed with iron sheets, with the shops set up to cater to tourists and pilgrims visiting the lake, the source said.
“The authorities accused the Tibetans of polluting and crowding the area around the lake, and took action to tear down the shops and homes,” he said.
“Now the owners are left without any source of supplemental income,” he added.
Tibetans living in China frequently complain of political, economic, and religious discrimination as well as human rights abuses.
Sporadic demonstrations challenging Chinese rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008, with 143 Tibetans to date setting themselves ablaze to oppose Beijing’s rule and call for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
Reported by Sonam Wangdu for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Firstly, Tibet is an independent country under oppressive military occupation by China (CCP). Why does RFA continue to call areas of Tibet part of China?? RFA must stop these illicit publications that portray Tibet as anything but a independant country.
Second, the illegal migration of Chinese by the CCP have made population numbers vastly increased in Tibet. Therefore a tourist trade that is an attractive vocation yet it cannot be sustained.
Thirdly, again and again the CCP have used the 'displace local Tibetans, for their own good' excuse to forcibly evacuate areas. Later the CCP move in with bulldozers and concrete to build a tourist resort thereby providing more Chinese peoples with jobs and more Tibetans are forced into poverty.
TIBET IS NOT PART OF CHINA!
Nov 04, 2015 09:57 PM
Were the Tibetans polluting and crowding the area around the lake?
Should Tibetans be allowed to build whatever structures they want near the lake?
Isn't this a nomad area? Isn't living in tents traditional?
Oct 30, 2015 04:51 PM
As always, bloody autocrat regime of China have cruel means of oppressing Tibetans with such blames, such as this talk of crowd and pollution by Tibetan dwellers near Kokonor lake by just 900 Tibetans. It is a sheer matter of laughter to find their concern on pollution in Tibet rather not talking on the unhealthy air they breath daily in Beijing and many in other cities in China where soil, water and air are seriously polluted. What about the pollution caused by all those illegal mining's and deforestation started by themselves since more than 50 years back by the themselves? So, the truly reality and fact of demolishing Tibetan homes is that the autocrat regime of China has cunning plans to settle migrant Chinese and than dominate the whole area near Lake Kokonor (Tso-ngon in Tibetan) World is watching! Shame on China!
Oct 28, 2015 12:23 PM
