In a bid to tighten its grip on Tibet further, the Chinese authorities are arresting Tibetans thinkers, who have been speaking out in favour of their culture and rights which Beijing sees as an act of sedition, and lodging them in secret prisons as part of its “cultural assimilation” policy.
The Chinese government has placed constant surveillance on Tibetan thinkers as it considers expressing views for preserving the Tibetan language and culture as secession, Tibet Press reported.
According to the latest report of the Central Tibet Administration, a famous poet and writer Rongwo Gendun Lhundup has been handed over four years of the sentence while writer Thupten Lodoe aka Sabuchey for four years. Notably, Gendun Lhundup was tasked to translate Tibetan Buddhist scriptures into the Chinese language. Another thinker Rongwo Gangkar has been under Chinese detention.
It is obvious that these decisions are aimed at suppressing the Tibetan intellectuals who seek the preservation of their identity. Similarly, Go Sherab Gyatso, Dhi Lhaden, Rongwo Gendun Lhundup, Pema Tso, Seynam, Rinchen Tsultrim and Kunsang Gyaltsen are facing the wrath of the CCP for the same ‘crimes, the report added.
The Tibetan intellectuals are further subjected to mental and physical torture and forcefully tutored with lectures on ‘patriotism’ and hard labour.
According to Tibet Press, a large number of Tibetans are held in the notorious Mianyang Prison of eastern Tibet for correcting their views in favour of the CCP’s ideology.
A number of Tibetans have died either in custody or after their release from detention. These deaths are being attributed to custodial torture carried out by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The recent reports (June 21) of handing over sentences and detention of Tibetan scholars come at the time when the UN observes June 26 as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to eradicate torture.
The unjustifiable policy of ‘cultural assimilation is actually the root cause of the Tibetan resistance being used as the pretext for its crackdown. The Chinese Communist Party has to put an end to its policy of ‘cultural assimilation’ to Tibetans to appropriate their culture by way of arresting/sentencing their thinkers, destructions of statues and monasteries and denial of the right of practising their religion, Tibet Press reported.
Meanwhile, China continues to sinicize Buddhism in Tibet as the Chinese government has recently imposed a ban on sharing religious content on social media.
China has always interfered in the matters of Tibet and has strongly condemned them from exercising their spiritual practices.
CCP gradually started initiating policies and rules concerning the reincarnation of Lamas which hurt Tibetan sentiments and religious beliefs.