Reported By Palden
Edited By Pema Tso
Translated By TenGyal
A team of lawyers, led by the Beijing based advocate Dong Peng has reached the Tibetan nomadic regions in Tsongon (Qinghai Province) to help address issues faced by the nomadic community such as forceful land grabs, relocation and lack of compensation money.
Under the government’s call to “accelerate the construction of a middle class society” and “ the promotion of social development”, the Chinese authorities in collusion with private corporations have seized vast areas of farming and nomadic land through coercion and deception, targeting the land for new high way construction, tourism hubs, and mining operations.
As the local Tibetan inhabitants have faced numerous hardships such as forced relocation and inadequate compensation for their grasslands, a team of lawyers from Beijing have arrived in the nomadic area of Tsongon (Qinghai) Province, following appeals for help from the local people.
Recently, around December 30th, the leader of the legal team, a lawyer named Dong Peng (董鹏), posted several short videos on his personal WeChat account regarding the grassland disputes in the nomadic regions. According to his description, many nomads have been approaching him with various grievances, hoping for a resolution.
These videos highlighted many important issues facing the nomadic population such as persistent disputes, forced land use and environmental damage without compensation. Some residents reported that unclear boundaries of their grasslands have led to continuous conflicts lasting for over a decade. Others stated that new highways were built on their land despite their refusal to accept low compensation; the authorities simply deposited money directly into their bank accounts and commenced construction anyway. Some also highlighted cases where government construction caused their grasslands to be submerged under water, yet the relevant officials provided no compensation or subsidies whatsoever.
In response, Dong Peng emphasized that these issues demand urgent attention. He stated that his legal team is seeking ways to resolve these matters through legal channels as early as possible, aiming to help nomads in Tsongon (Qinghai) Province and other regions exercise and enjoy their legal rights.
In some written appeals sent to the lawyer via WeChat, residents have highlighted their grievances. One individual wrote “Our family’s grassland has fallen into someone else’s hands. Although we asked for it back, they refused. We appealed to the township government, but they not only ignored us but are actually backing the other party. Even though we have witnesses and the official grassland certificates, two years have passed without a resolution.” Another person inquired, “An expressway is being constructed in our area. They offered 1,800 yuan per mu (approx. 0.16 acres), which we did not agree to. However, they directly deposited the money into our bank accounts and began construction anyway. Now, the road is nearly finished. We don’t know if the county government is preventing the full payment for our grassland or if the construction company is withholding them. Is it possible to resolve issues like this?”
In another video posted after his legal team arrived in the nomadic area of Lake Kokonor (Qinghai Lake) region, lawyer Dong Peng explained, “While the local government claims that the nomads are relocating voluntarily and of their own free will, the reality is that they are being forced to move under intense pressure. Various tactics are used to leave them with no room for negotiation or consultation, all while offering very low compensation. What is labeled as ‘voluntary’ is, in truth, a matter of coercion, and such cases are frequently seen throughout the Kokonor Lake pastoral areas.” He continued: “Many people do not understand why authorities- without requiring signed contracts or even the residents’ consent repeatedly come to the doors of individual households day and night to push them out and even threaten them. I must state clearly to the public: claiming that people moved ‘voluntarily’ when there was no process of consultation or agreement—only a set compensation amount—has no legal standing. According to the law, any eviction, expropriation, or relocation regarding grasslands must follow a legal due process beforehand. The farmers’ and nomads’ right to be informed, right to negotiate, and right to fair relocation compensation must be protected.”
Regarding the issue of enterprises carrying out various constructions in pastoral areas for their own benefit, causing great damage to the grasslands and leaving nomads with no means of support, lawyer Dong Peng stated, “For their own profit, enterprises are constructing wind power plants and factories on the grasslands. However, they are forcing these projects forward without providing adequate compensation to the nomads. The grassland has been the fundamental source of livelihood and the root of life for nomads passed down from generation to generation. Yet, now, before the very eyes of the nomadic people, the vast grasslands are being forcibly seized and destroyed, leaving them with no foundation for their future survival.”
Under Articles 50, 51, and 52 of the Grassland Law of the People’s Republic of China, as well as Article 47 of the Qinghai Provincial Measures for Implementing the Grassland Law, it is stipulated that any activities such as excavation, stone quarrying, or mining on grasslands must first receive approval from the grassland administration department of the people’s government at or above the county level. Furthermore, compensation must be paid to the grassland users (nomads/holders) in accordance with relevant national and provincial regulations. Upon completion of the work, the vegetation must be restored within a specified timeframe, or the restoration tasks must be entrusted to the grassland administration authorities. However, despite these legal provisions, these laws are not being implemented. Instead, farming and nomadic lands are being forcibly seized and residents relocated at will. Authorities often justify these construction projects and the resulting environmental damage by claiming that the state is the ultimate owner of the grassland, thereby bypassing the legal rights of the local people.
Yesterday, on January 22, the UN Human Rights office released a report concerning human rights in Tibet and Xinjiang. According to the report, between the years 2000 and 2025, China’s relocation policies in Tibet have affected 3.36 million Tibetans, with at least 930,000 Tibetans forced to relocate to other areas.
Similarly, a 2024 report from Human Rights Watch states that since 2016, over 709,000 Tibetans (representing 76% of the target group) have been moved. Among them, more than 140,000 were relocated as entire villages, while over 567,000 were forced to relocate as individual households. Consequently, by the end of 2025, it is estimated that approximately 3.36 million Tibetan nomads will face threats to their livelihoods due to the Chinese government’s relocation and construction policies.
