Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Mar. 29: The Chinese government has released a new white paper on human rights in Tibet, drawing renewed international criticism over its treatment of Tibetan culture, education, and religious practices. The document, titled “Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era”, was released by the State Council Information Office at a press conference in Lhasa on March 28.
One of the contentious aspects of the white paper concerns the role of boarding schools in Tibet. The document asserts that these institutions provide quality education in remote pastoral and agricultural regions, emphasising that parental choice is respected and students can return home during weekends and holidays. However, human rights groups, and United Nations experts argue that over 1 million Tibetan children have been systematically separated from their families through these schools.
Critics highlight the near absence of Tibetan language, history, and cultural education in these institutions, warning that they serve as a tool for assimilation rather than genuine education. A joint statement by 28 European countries at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council raised concerns about the impact of these policies on Tibet’s unique cultural identity.
The white paper also defends China’s policies on religious practices in Tibet, particularly the reincarnation process of Buddhist leaders. According to the document, 93 reincarnations have been officially recognised by 2024 under what Beijing calls a “legal and religious framework”.
However, Tibetan religious leaders, the Central Tibetan Administration and scholars argue that this policy allows the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to exert control over Tibetan Buddhism, undermining the community’s spiritual traditions. The white paper’s assertion that “the succession of living Buddhas follows religious rituals and historical convention” has been widely interpreted as an attempt to solidify Chinese state control over the future recognition of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation.
The release of the white paper coincided with China’s March 28 celebration of the so-called “Serfs’ Emancipation Day,”. A flag-raising ceremony was held in Lhasa’s Potala Palace Square, the traditional capital of Tibet, where regional government officials praised what they described as Tibet’s progress under Chinese rule.
Karma Tseten, chairman of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region government, declared that the “abolition of feudal serfdom in Xizang” represented not only a human rights milestone but also a major advancement in global civilisation. However, Tibetan exile communities and activists see this event as a reminder of China’s ongoing suppression of Tibetan identity. On March 10, Tibetan communities worldwide marked the anniversary of their 1959 uprising against Chinese rule with protest rallies.
The Chinese government continues to push a narrative of development and modernisation in Tibet, asserting that human rights have significantly improved. Yet, critics argue that these policies represent a systematic erosion of Tibetan cultural and religious identity. The white paper makes no mention of long-standing grievances regarding restrictions on freedom of expression, religious oppression, and the suppression of political dissent.
This is the 18th white paper on Tibet released by China since 1992, underscoring the CCP’s ongoing effort to control the global discourse on Tibet’s status. Despite Beijing’s efforts, international human rights agencies and Tibetans in exile continue to counter Chinese propaganda.
One Response
The so called Chinese “white paper” is nothing but a pack of lies riddled with exaggeration and figment of their imagination. Occupied Tibet is a photo copy of Gaza under Israeli occupation! The Tibetan people are huddled like prisoners in occupied and treated like second class citizens exactly like how Israel is treating the Palestinians in Gaza! Tibetans can’t travel freely even within the country, let alone travelling out side of it. Before the illegal and brutal occupation of Tibet by communist China, Tibet’s border with neighbouring countries were all open! Nepalese, Bhutanese, Sikkimese and Indians were free to travel to Tibet. Ever since, communist China illegally occupied Tibet, occupied Tibet’s border with all surrounding countries have been closed! Families have been torn apart as the Chinese communists don’t allow Tibetans to travel to any neighbouring country nor the people of neighbouring countries are allowed to travel to occupied Tibet except the occasional Chinese shills who are purposely hired to propagate the lies of the Chinese communist party about occupied Tibet!
The Tibetan people are enslaved by the most evil regime on earth! This regime has slaughtered 80 million Chinese, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongols and Manchurians! It has murdered 87,000 Tibetans by its own admission during the great Tibetan uprising on March 10th 1959. It brought unimaginable terror to the Chinese people and especially the Tibetan people through naked racism under the guise of Han chauvinism. Thousands of Tibetans were sent to gulags where they were killed through hard labour and starvation. 1.2 million Tibetans have been killed as a direct result of Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet. Since, 2009, 157 Tibetans have committed suicide in sheer desperation to highlight the terrorist regime’s unrelenting oppression and suppression. The reason why the Tibetans resorted to such extreme sacrifice is, THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN COMMUNIST CHINA AND OCCUPIED TIBET BUT ONLY STATE SPONSORED PROPAGANDA! Today, it is hiring Europeans, Americans, Nepalis, Indians and Tibetan collaborators from occupied Tibet to propagate communist propaganda across the world! They have bought “professors”, “academics” and “intellectuals” who are spouting CCP’s propaganda, disinformation and fabricated lies to create a positive image of communist China and its dictatorial regime! In occupied Tibet, there is one Tibetan face in the person of Karma Tseten but he is merely a show pony and has no power whatsoever. All the political,power lies with the Chinese! Even in work places, if there are 20 Tibetans and one Chinese, they must speak in Chinese and not in Tibetan. The Chinese communists are paranoid about the Tibetans and don’t trust any of them. However, Karma Tsetan is made to peddle the fabrications of the evil CCP in the hope of gaining some credence for its manufactured lies! If there is any truth in the sheaf of lies that proclaim great “accomplishments” supposedly made by the CCP, why not invite the international community to see for themselves? Why doesn’t the CCP allow, unimpeded access to international journalists, diplomats, the UN Representatives, tourists and allow Tibetans both inside and outside of occupied Tibet for family reunion? What is stopping such open policy to show case the much vaunted “progress” in “human rights”, “religious freedom” and “environmental protection”? What’s stopping it? What has the CCP to hide in occupied Tibet? At the end of the day, lies are lies! No matter how many lies the CCP tells through its sheaves of papers, they are soaked with lies and the world will never buy the stench of lies that has garnered only ridiculed and contempt for the pack of lies proclaimed as “white papers”! They are as worthy as toilet papers embroidered in colourful motifs but their only use is to wipe the bottoms!