Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 14: A social media firestorm in Nepal has spiralled into a wave of misinformation and xenophobic hate targeting members of the Tibetan community after a viral controversy surrounding a group called “TOB”, was falsely linked to the ‘Free Tibet’ movement.
The controversy erupted after images from last month’s Gen Z protests in Kathmandu showed several young men wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with the initials “T.O.B.” Many online users speculated that the acronym stood for “Tibetan Original Bloodline”, sparking false claims that the protesters were Tibetan refugees or connected to pro-Tibet activism.
Within hours, social media platforms were flooded with racialised and xenophobic remarks, accusing Tibetans in Nepal of “hijacking” youth-led protests, vandalism, and extremism. Some posts even issued death threats and called for violence against Tibetans and Nepalis of Tibetan origin.
According to Kathmandu Post, the online hostility intensified after a Facebook video by journalist Diwakar Shah on the HTP Khabar page vaguely alluded to the “T.O.B.” symbol and claimed he feared for his safety if he revealed more. Shah, based in Saptari District, had previously been arrested in August 2020 for spreading false information on social media.
Soon after, users began combing through protest footage, identifying individuals wearing the shirts—including Tenzin Dawa, seen wearing a T-shirt reading “Tibetan Original Blood”. Another image showing Dawa holding what appeared to be a gun fuelled speculation that the group was armed and violent. Gurung, the group’s adviser, clarified that the photograph was months old, part of a TikTok concept for a music video, and the gun was a plastic prop. Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Ramesh Thapa confirmed that Dawa voluntarily appeared before investigators and that preliminary findings indicate the video predates the protests.
The Kathmandu Post clarified that TOB stands for “The Original Brothers”, a motorcycle and hip-hop collective with no political affiliations. Surendra Gurung, known as Hakim, explained that the collective includes youths from diverse ethnic backgrounds — Tibetan, Tamang, Gurung, and Chhetri — united by music and motorcycling culture. Older T-shirts bearing the phrase “Tibetan Original Blood” were worn by some members as a personal tribute to ancestral heritage, not as a political statement.
“These boys are Nepali citizens, just like their parents and grandparents,” Gurung said. “It’s painful to see this turn into racism and xenophobia… Discriminating against them for their background is unfair and ignorant. They went to protest against corruption as Nepalis, not as outsiders.”
The Gen Z protest wasn’t the first occasion some members wore the ‘Tibetan Original Blood’ T-shirts — they had also appeared during previous motorcycle activities.
Sudan Gurung, founder of Hami Nepal and one of the leaders emerging during the 2025 Gen Z movement, strongly objected to attempts to discredit his campaign by linking it to the Free Tibet movement and foreign powers. Responding on Facebook after the “TOB” photo went viral, Gurung accused an organized “cyber army” of deliberately spreading misinformation.
The TOB controversy comes amid heightened online scrutiny of a Nepali youth, Tashi Lhazom, a young climate activist from Humla in Karnali Province. Reports suggesting she might be appointed Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens sparked online discussions questioning her Nepali citizenship and falsely linking her to the Free Tibet campaign. Gen Z leaders from Karnali clarified that Lhazom’s name had never been proposed by their group and urged the government to verify her background, also calling for clarification on potential foreign involvement.
While no physical violence has been reported, Tibetan residents in Nepal say the surge of hate speech has created an atmosphere of fear. “Some of us are scared that the online hate might turn into real-world violence,” a Kathmandu resident said on condition of anonymity. The Tibetan Settlement Officer of Lodrik added while speaking with Phayul, “There have been no incidents of physical harm to Tibetans in Nepal in connection to the social media misinformation.”
Nepal hosts seven Tibetan settlements — agricultural ones like Sharwara and Lodrik, handicraft-based settlements such as Samdupling (Jawalakhel), Tashiling, and Tashi Palkhiel (Pokhara), and community clusters in Choejor (Boudha) and Gyalsa-Phakshing. Observers note that the current wave of suspicion underscores growing sensitivity in Nepal around Tibet and China. While Tibetan refugees have lived peacefully in the country for decades, political space for their cultural and humanitarian expression has narrowed under increasing Chinese influence.
For now, the TOB controversy, born from a simple acronym and amplified by social media, stands as a stark reminder of how quickly misinformation can fuel ethnic profiling and fear in an already fragile political climate, especially when it concerns Tibetans who form a small refugee community in Nepal.
