Tibetan musician advocates colonial boarding school in Tibet, sparks backlash

By Tenzin Nyidon

DHARAMSHALA, Mar 23: A controversial remark by a Tibetan musician named Dechen Shak-Dagsay based in Switzerland advocating the colonial-style boarding schools run by China in Tibet, has sparked condemnation and censure from fellow Tibetans.

In a seminar titled, “The Protection of Human Rights for Minorities: Progress in China’s Ethnic Autonomous Region” at the University of Geneva organised by the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), Dechen can be seen expressing her wish for the success of the Chinese colonial boarding system in Tibet and referred to Tibet as “Xizang.”

“Last but not the least I would like to express my wish that this Tibetan students boarding project in Xizang will be very successful,” she stated.

This statement made by Dechen has drawn backlash, particularly from the Tibetan diaspora in exile. Many within the community argue that the use of the term “Xizang” represents a concession to the Chinese government terminology regarding Tibet and a direct attempt by Beijing to push their narrative. Others have said that her remarks contradict overwhelming evidence and reports documenting human rights abuses associated with China’s coerced colonial boarding school system in Tibet.

A comprehensive report published by the Tibet Action Institute with Tibetan educationist Dr. Gyal lo point out that these schools enforce mandatory attendance and use Chinese as the primary medium of instruction, effectively eroding the Tibetan language and culture. Additionally, reports suggest that over a million Tibetan children have been separated from their families forcefully due to these policies, raising concerns about the impact on familial and cultural ties, against the backdrop of China’s totalitarian regime.

Furthermore, Dechen’s praise for the colonial boarding school system and her use of the term “Xizang” to refer to Tibet has been met with strong disapproval from the Central Tibetan Administration’s advocacy groups like the Voluntary Tibetan Advocacy Group (V-TAG), “V-TAG condemned her assertion and the use of the term “Xizang” to refer to Tibet, and her unabashed praise for the oppressive Colonial Boarding School System, which forcibly impose Mandarin upon millions of Tibet students, eroding their cultural identity.”

Like many Tibetans, V-TAG also demanded unequivocal clarifications from Dechen, specifically regarding her stance on these colonial boarding schools. The group challenged her to substantiate her claims by disclosing the names of the schools she visited and providing evidence of her interactions with Tibetan students. Her remarks were also met with strong opposition in the ongoing session of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.