TrendingVideosIndia
Opinions | CommentEditorialsThe MiddleLetters to the EditorReflections
UPSC | Exam ScheduleExam Mentor
State | Himachal PradeshPunjabJammu & KashmirHaryanaChhattisgarhMadhya PradeshRajasthanUttarakhandUttar Pradesh
City | ChandigarhAmritsarJalandharLudhianaDelhiPatialaBathindaShaharnama
World | ChinaUnited StatesPakistan
Diaspora
Features | The Tribune ScienceTime CapsuleSpectrumIn-DepthTravelFood
Business | My MoneyAutoZone
News Columns | Straight DriveCanada CallingLondon LetterKashmir AngleJammu JournalInside the CapitalHimachal CallingHill View
Don't Miss
Advertisement

TCHRD criticises Xi Jinping's Tibet visit as 'stage-managed spectacle'

Unlock Exclusive Insights with The Tribune Premium

Take your experience further with Premium access. Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only Benefits
Yearly Premium ₹999 ₹349/Year
Yearly Premium $49 $24.99/Year
Advertisement

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 2 (ANI): The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has condemned Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent trip to Lhasa, describing it as a "stage-managed spectacle of unity" that eluded promises of autonomy. According to Phayul, the rights group argued that Beijing used the 60th anniversary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) to tighten its grip rather than recognise Tibetan self-rule.

Advertisement

Xi, accompanied by senior Communist Party leaders including Wang Huning, visited the Tibetan capital on August 20. State media projected the visit as an expression of "care and affection" for the Tibetan people, highlighting Xi's emphasis on "political stability," "ethnic unity," and "religious harmony."

Advertisement

According to Phayul, TCHRD dismissed the messaging, pointing out that unlike in previous commemorative speeches, neither Xi nor Wang mentioned strengthening regional autonomy. Instead, they reinforced the idea of assimilating Tibetans into the broader Chinese nation, undermining rights guaranteed under the 1984 Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law.

The Dharamshala-based group also drew attention to the imbalance of power within Tibetan governance structures. Han Chinese officials dominate most of the TAR's leadership posts, leaving Tibetans with symbolic roles, TCHRD asserted.

Phayul noted that the report highlighted sweeping Sinicisation campaigns: Tibetan-medium schools are being dismantled, Mandarin is imposed as the primary language even in monasteries, and images of the Dalai Lama remain banned. Parents have expressed concern that Tibetan children are now unable to converse with their elders, as the use of their native language is discouraged in classrooms.

Advertisement

According to Phayul, the report further accused Chinese authorities of reshaping Tibetan society through intermarriage programs, forced labour transfers, and resource extraction projects that displace local communities without fair compensation.

TCHRD also cited internal documents suggesting that officials are preparing to suppress dissent around sensitive anniversaries, including the Dalai Lama's upcoming 90th birthday. The group concluded, as stated by Phayul, that the commemorations were less about honouring Tibetan rights and more about showcasing Beijing's dominance under the rhetoric of "ethnic unity" and "national progress." (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Advertisement
Tags :
ChinaChinese authoritiesCommunist PartyLhasaTARTCHRDTibetanTibetan Centre for Human Rights and DemocracyXi Jinping
Show comments
Advertisement