Translated by Tashi Namgyal
According to a report released by Human Rights Watch based in America, China reportedly endangers the livelihood of 3.36 million Tibetan nomads under the program of Immigration and Infrastructure development until 2025.
Human Rights Watch said in the report on Tuesday that China is coercing Tibetan farmers and nomads to relocate from the land of their ancestors in the name of development of people’s livelihood and environment’s protection. Yet the Chinese government claims that the relocation of Tibetan people is voluntary and they are enjoying a prosperous life.
As per the report, “China has been carrying out the program of relocation since 2016 to displace Tibetan farmers and nomads; 200 households out of 226 were reluctant to move from one’s ancestor’s land and it is totally against the will of numerous families to relocate even to a place nearly1000 km away. But the Chinese government is forcing people to accept the decision through harsh methods including punishment and threat.”
The reports stated further, “The government prevents relocated people from returning to their former homes by generally requiring them to demolish these homes within a year of relocating. And relocated people face various problems in terms of environment and livelihood facilities. They can rarely get jobs and so, the majority of them are not happy with what relocation brought to them. Reportedly, it is said that 69% of relocated households are facing livelihood problems and 49% want to return to their former homes.”
As per the Chinese Immigration program between 2000 and 2025, it is estimated that at least 930000 Tibetans would be relocated to other sites. From 2016 till now, 709000 Tibetans were already displaced. Among them, 140000 Tibetans were forcibly displaced with whole village relocation and 567000 Tibetans were moved with individual household relocation. Under this program, nearly 3.36 million Tibetan nomads would face danger in their livelihood.
As known, in 2024 only, claims to the damage made by forest fire in Nyachu county, 1360 households and 5908 people from three regions were relocated and during the construction of Mardang hydropower station in Ragya township, 100 Tibetan households to the least were displaced. Similarly, The Chinese government forcibly ordered the relocation of 4554 people and 1085 households from the whole Thangnok village to claim the construction of Yangchil hydropower station at the breach of Machu River in Drakar County, Tibet. In February of this year, China also reportedly ordered relocation of 6 monasteries and numerous households to make way for the construction of a new dam at the breach of Drichu River.
