THE DHARAMSHALA- based Tibetan Centre of Human Rights and Democracy, an organization which monitors the situation of Tibet from outside the country while releasing its annual report levelled various allegation on China and stated that the human rights situation in Tibet has deteriorated as the Chinese government has “increased its repressive policies towards the political, religious and cultural rights of the Tibetan people”.

 

The executive director of  the centre, Tsering Tsomo and assistant director and researcher, Jampa Monlam in a joint conference briefed media about its report  and alleged that the human rights situation inside Tibet has been deteriorating since the March 2008 uprising and religious education is heavily proscribed in Tibet. Monks and nuns are unable to travel, making it difficult to seek education in Buddhist concepts not available at their home monasteries.

 

The Chinese government follows highly repressive policies in ethnic minority areas such as Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and situation throughout Tibet remained tense in 2011 following a massive crackdown on protests that swept the plateau in 2008. The Chinese security forces maintain a heavy presence and the authorities continue to restrict access and travel to Tibetan areas, particularly for journalists and foreign visitors, the report alleges.

 

It further alleges that the Chinese government continues to build a “new socialist countryside” by relocating the Tibet population, including nomads. They alleged that religious education was heavily proscribed in Tibet. Monks and nuns were unable to travel, making it difficult for them to seek education in Buddhist concepts which was not available at their home monasteries. All but three monasteries had undergone the strict patriotic re-education programme, which forced monks and nuns to denounce the Dalai Lama, they alleged. They further alleged that the educational atmosphere fostered by the government stifled critical thinking, innovation and opportunities for learning. It closely monitored activities in schools and universities, and limited the use of the Tibetan language as a medium of education.

 

Chinese language was already being introduced in rural pre-schools in an attempt to relegate the Tibetan language to a mere subject. The Tibetan culture was one step closer to extinction if its language was rendered irrelevant. On the economic development in Tibet, the reports says that while economic indicators in Tibet sometimes look good, the benefits have largely been pocketed by Chinese migrants and Chinese companies and not Tibetans, who are being increasingly marginalised in their own land.

 

The report describes the forcible relocation of Tibetan nomads as a trick and says it ignores the fact that since ages nomads have been an integral part of the natural environment. The report says that 12 Tibetans set themselves on fire within a span of nine months in 2011. The incidents of self-immolation are symptomatic of the greater plight that Tibetans find themselves in throughout the plateau. The report says that China refuses to take any responsibility for the incidents of self-immolation. It has instead increased oppression in Tibet and continues to violate its international human rights obligation.