Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, July 4: A new hydropower dam confirmed by Chinese authorities on the upper reaches of the Machu River (Yellow River) in eastern Tibet will force the displacement of residents from at least twenty villages, according to a new report released by Free Tibet and Tibet Watch.
According to the report, the Tsiha Gorge hydropower dam, to be built at the junction of Badzong County in Golog Prefecture and Drakkar County in Tsolho Prefecture in the Tibetan province of Amdo, marks the latest in a growing series of dams on the river.
This latest project, approved by Qinghai provincial authorities, will follow the Yangchu Dam, completed last year, which itself led to the destruction of a religious community and the removal of Atsok Monastery from the list of recognised heritage sites.
Among the affected communities are villages located far beyond the immediate riverbanks, a likely result of China’s expanding use of surrounding terrain for solar farms that typically accompany dam infrastructure. The strategy extends the impact of these projects across a wider region, disrupting grazing land and displacing nomadic populations.
Official notices from local governments indicate the displacement is already underway. A directive issued by the People’s Government of Drongthu Township, home to five of the twenty villages, references efforts to conduct “ideological work” among Tibetan residents, suggesting authorities are attempting to preempt resistance to relocation.
A separate notice, dated May 7, prohibits local residents from planting crops or trees and bans new settlers, except for specific groups such as newly married couples or released prisoners, from moving into designated areas. The order stipulates that compensation will not be provided to anyone who violates the ban.
In addition to civilian settlements, three monasteries in Drongthu Township may also be affected. Images on Chinese state-linked social media show monks participating in state-directed cleanup efforts, with accompanying statements emphasising ideological compliance rather than community consent. The report notes that local officials instructed monastery heads and village leaders to promote the dam’s construction and ensure the project’s smooth implementation.
The hydropower dam is planned to reach 254 meters in height and adds to a cascade of nine existing dams along the Machu River, which have already transformed the river into a major exporter of electricity to inland Chinese provinces like Henan. State-owned corporations behind these dam projects are simultaneously expanding coal-fired power generation, undercutting China’s professed climate goals.
An interactive map produced by Tibet Watch and Turquoise Roof highlights how the electricity grid in the region is still largely anchored around coal-fired plants, with renewable sources less integrated than official rhetoric suggests. This raises questions about China’s green energy narrative and the long-term environmental impact of intensive infrastructure development in the seismically vulnerable Tibetan Plateau.
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently invoked the concept of “Yellow River culture” during a visit to Qinghai’s capital, Xining, linking hydropower development to broader efforts at assimilating Tibetans into Chinese national identity. Critics argue that such framing not only justifies environmental exploitation but also facilitates policies aimed at erasing Tibetan cultural, linguistic, and religious distinctiveness.
One Response
Tibetans lost everything ever since we lost our country! Communist China became rich because of the plundering of Tibet’s exponentially rich resources! It was entirely the pillaging of Tibet’s resources shamelessly that has made communist China rich and reached the level it is now. That’s why they invaded and illegally and brutally occupied Tibet. The reason why it illegally occupied West Phillipines sea is the same even though it is well within Phillipines maritime jurisdiction. The Phillipines under President Marcos has been fighting back Chinese claims with the help of the US and it is making a dent in its effort! Tibetans must NEVER GIVE UP OUR COUNTRY IN ORDER TO ACCOMODATE CHINESE SO CALLED “SENSITIVITIES”! THE FACT IS THE WHOLE OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAU BELONGS TO TIBET AND THERE ARE HISTORICAL MAPS TO PROVE IT! The ultimate goal of the Chinese communist regime is TRANSFORM TIBETANS INTO CHINESE! They don’t tolerate Tibetan culture, religion and language. It has unashamedly proclaimed to be MONO CULTURE, MONO LANGUAGE AND MONO IDENTITY! This is called “homogenisation” of all conquered people! Whether it’s in the case of Chinese dams on the Drichu river, Tsangpo river or Machu river, they couldn’t careless about the plight of the people who live on the land for centuries! This is one of the most insane, cruel and murderous regime the world has known. It doesn’t even care for the Chinese people so how could we ever expect them to care for Tibetans who they regard as “barbarians” for centuries! For them, the destruction of Tibet’s priceless culture, religion and language are supposed to be “civilising” the barbarian Tibetans! They don’t feel guilty of genocide but think they are doing us a favour! This is the thinking of the evil regime. The regime has murdered 80 million people under its watch! It has systematically destroyed the whole ancient culture of not only Tibet but even China itself! It’s the ONLY REGIME WHICH DESPISED ITS OWN CULTURE AND TRADITIONS! Today, communist China is a immoral entity which practises human organ harvesting and executions of its own people on an industrial scale! The murder of of its young people on June 4th 1989 showed the true colour of the regime! It has made it look bad in the eyes of the Chinese people. So, talking about Tiananmen massacre is taboo in communist China! It has no regard for peoples lives and kills them just like Israeli Defence Force kills Palestinians. For the Tibetans who are removed from their ancestral habitat is a tragedy of monumental proportions but what can they do under such a ruthless regime! They are like lamb to the slaughterer! The CCP is absolutely corrupt and in fact thrives on corruption. Nobody should ever think that the regime is stable or not facing extinction. According Chinese commentators, who lived in communist China, theyj are painting a pretty dark picture of the CCP who are locked in an endless power struggle among its elite! Tibetans must fight for total independence or else WE WILL FOREVER REMAIN SLAVES OF THE CHINESE REGIMES!