By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, November 8: Chinese authorities have recently taken a step to enforce political loyalty and discourage religious practices among teachers and students in western Tibet, according Radio Free Asia. Two Tibetans living in western Tibet have disclosed that more than 400 teachers and students were summoned to a workshop on “anti-separatism” in the Ngari prefecture of western Tibet in October.
At the workshop, participants were directed to pledge their allegiance to the state ideology and denounce separatism, along with what the authorities have deemed “separatist ways” of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a prominent Tibetan spiritual leader. Additionally, they were explicitly told to refrain from engaging in any religious activities within school premises.
One of the Tibetans, who provided information to RFA via a written message, reported on the directives given during the workshop, saying, “The attendees were also told to refrain from any religious activities in schools.” Another Tibetan from the region confirmed this information, adding that Tibetan teachers and students were instructed to pledge their loyalty and patriotism to the Chinese government while avoiding the teaching or dissemination of religious education.” The teachers must ensure they teach students to adhere to conferring their allegiance to the state ideology,” said the second Tibetan in a written message to RFA.
The schools summoned to participate in this workshop included Ngari Garzong Middle School, Kung-Phen-Sen Elementary School, Ngari Vocational Middle School, Ngari Model School, and Ngari Childcare Center, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Experts say that this move is part of China’s broader efforts to suppress Tibetan culture, language, and religion while assimilating the Tibetan identity into the dominant Han-Chinese majority, all the while ensuring patriotism and loyalty to the state.
In an earlier development, the Education Bureau of the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture issued a notification in September 2023, extending the ban on Tibetan language classes from primary to high secondary schools throughout the prefecture. This extension followed a prior directive issued in March, which imposed a ban on Tibetan language classes in middle schools in Kardze, affecting Tibetan teachers in the region significantly.
In March 2023, Chinese authorities announced a ban on Tibetan language classes in primary schools in the Kham Kardze region. The ban, issued by the Kanzi Prefecture Bureau of Education in March, has raised concerns regarding the preservation of Tibetan culture and identity. Schools in the region were explicitly instructed not to share or publicize this information on social media platforms, with potential legal consequences for violations.
