Briefing paper for travellers to Tibet
A few years ago, a traveller wrote to us saying
that the fact that pictures of the Panchen Lama
were banned in Tibet was untrue, noting that
they were displayed all over the place. What the
traveller did see were pictures of Gyaltsen
Norbu, the child appointed by the Chinese government
as the 11th Panchen Lama, but recognised
by few Tibetans. Pictures of Gyaltsen
Norbu are not only allowed to be displayed in
Tibet but mandatory in some places. This traveller’s
observation led the Tibetan Centre for
Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) to decide
upon producing a briefing paper for travellers to
Tibet, one designed especially for travellers
who may have little or no knowledge of the political
situation in Tibet, that would be a supplement
to the knowledge of seasoned travellers.
Travellers have an important role to play in the
Tibetan situation. In recent years they have
become a vital source of information on the situation
in Tibet by conveying first hand accounts
of the situation inside Tibet and verifying the
need to support the Tibetan cause in the international
community. This in turn heightens the
pressure on China to rectify the human rights
abuses that are perpetrated under its rule.
TCHRD is confident that after reading this guide,
travellers will observe with awareness the conditions
in Tibet and upon returning share with us
and others what they saw and experienced during
their journey inside Tibet.
The most important thing to pack for a visit to
Tibet is some understanding of the situation
there. It is important for travellers to the region
to understand something about the political situation
in Tibet. The political climate is volatile.
Rules and regulations for travellers are often
subject to random changes with little or no
notice. Observation combined with awareness
allows you to see the reality of everyday life
for Tibetans throughout Tibet. The guide also
gives recommendations and information that will
enable you to see beyond the façade presented by
the Chinese authorities. This is not an insignificant
task given that the Chinese government has
stated that: "We should use people from abroad
to carry out the propaganda on Tibet for us,
which is more powerful than when we do it."
Be informed before you leave home. Read up on
both the Tibetan situation and travel conditions.
There are various good publications and websites
that can provide valuable and interesting
information. DO NOT take this booklet, or any
other sensitive documentation on your person to
Tibet; this could cause difficulties not just for
you but for any local people who came in contact
with you!
Throughout this guide, when referring to Tibet,
our definition is that of the complete region of
traditional Tibet, which encompasses the three
regions of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo. After the
annexation of Tibet in 1951, China subdivided
the country into the seven administrative
regions, the largest of which is the "Tibet
Autonomous Region" ("TAR"). When China
today refers to Tibet it means only the "TAR"
which is less than half of the entire Tibetan
plateau. The remaining areas have been incorporated
into existing Chinese provinces. This was
in order to facilitate effective control over the
population. Most of Amdo lies in the Chinese
province of Qinghai, and small portions in Gansu
and Sichuan. The former principalities of eastern
Kham have been incorporated into Sichuan and
Yunnan, with smaller areas in Qinghai, and the
"TAR". It is only the remaining areas of UTsang,
western Kham (and Western Tibet) that
the Chinese authorities officially designate as
the 72 counties of the "TAR". Therefore, when
the Chinese authorities refer to Tibet they only
mean the "TAR" region. In this paper however,
the term Tibet is used to refer to the entire
country as it is known and recognised by the
Tibetan people.
Currently there is a tremendous drive to increase
tourism in Tibet. There is also a general effort to project
Tibet as having benefited from the Communist
regime. For all travellers there is an opportunity to
assess this claim and personally witness what is happening
to Tibetans in their homeland under Chinese
occupation, and maybe help expose the reality of the
situation to the international community.
Many travellers have reported having been frequently
restricted by heavy Chinese regulations and some
have described feelings of fear and intimidation. As a
result, many people have misgivings about visiting
Tibet. Some people feel somewhat immoral squandering
their money in tibet, knowing that the Chinese
government benefits from tourism. Contributions via
transport costs and permits may be unavoidable, but
careful choices of where other money is spent can
reduce excess governmental financial gain.
Due to strict controls on access to outside information,
many Tibetans are unaware of the level of support
that exists in the international community for the
Tibetan cause, or of the exile community in India. This
information if judiciously passed on by a careful
tourist can greatly boost the morale of those in Tibet.
Additionally, for decades the Chinese have consistently
implied to Tibetans that their culture, religion
and language are worthless. Now Tibetans are witnessing
foreigners travelling great distances - at
great costs - to visit Tibetan holy places, and showing
an interest in their culture and language. This may
encourage Tibetans to believe again in the value and
worth of their own culture.
Tibetans are characteristically friendly and cheerful in
their disposition. In some well-publicised cases foreigners
have assumed that this means that these
Tibetans are content with their situation and have
abandoned the freedom struggle and their reverence
for the Dalai Lama. A good way to assess the situation
is to observe on Wednesdays in Lhasa the number
of Tibetans offering prayers and participating in
the incense burning ceremony. According to the
Tibetan astrological calendar Wednesday is a special
day for offering long life prayers to the Dalai Lama.
Despite increased surveillance, Tibetans will gather in
large numbers to attend the special Wednesday
prayers especially since a ban was imposed in 1997
on observing the birthday of the Dalai Lama (6 July of
the Western calendar).
Tibet has a recorded history since 127 BC. The first
King of Tibet, Nyatri Tsenpo was enthroned in this
year. The Tibetan Empire reached its peak during the
7th and 9th centuries, extending into China and other
central Asian countries. Tibetan armies seized the
Chinese capital at Ch’angan in 763 during the reign of
the great Tibetan King Trisong Detsen. Between 821-
822 a peace treaty was concluded between the
Tibetan Emperor Tri Ralpa Chen and the Chinese
Emperor Mu-tsung. During this period Buddhism was
introduced into he country and became the state religion.
Tibet occupied 2.5 million square kilometres of land
between the two giants of Asia, India and China. The
politics of both countries had historically exercised
considerable influence over the development of Tibet.
China had always coveted Tibet as the ‘Western
Treasure House’ (Ch: Xizang) and Indo-Tibetan relations
cultivated spiritual and intellectual advancements
in Buddhism.1
In 1207 Tibet was invaded by Mongolia, but Kublai
Khan offered the rule to his Tibetan spiritual teacher,
Drogon Choegyal Phagspa. In 1270 Kublai Khan
founded the Yuan Dynasty. China’s present day
claims that "Tibet has always been a part of China",
derive from this period when they were both ruled by
the Mongols. The Mongol administration of Tibet was
unique compared to the other conquered territories
due to the priest-patron relationship it shared with
Tibet. Tibet was integrated into the administration of
the Mongol Empire but not into the administration of
China.
In 1642, the Fifth Dalai Lama assumed religious and
secular power over Tibet. He established the system
of Tibetan government called "Gaden Phodrang". In
1653, the Dalai Lama made a state visit to the imperial
capital of China, recently taken over by the
Manchu Emperors. The Manchu emperor Shunzi travelled
on a four-day journey outside his capital (Peking)
to receive the Dalai Lama and honoured him with a
treatment reserved for an independent sovereign.2
In 1720, the Manchu Empire offered to lend troops to
escort the young 7th Dalai Lama from eastern Tibet
to Lhasa for his enthronement ceremony. With the
appointment of Ambans, a type of political envoy, in
1728, the Manchus did succeed in establishing some
degree of political influence in Tibet. They helped
repel a Nepalaese invasion in 1792, but failed to
respond to a British invasion in 1903-4. However, the
13th Dalai Lama severed all ties with the Manchus
when the Manchus attempted to depose him in 1910.
When the Manchus fell to the Guomindang (Chinese
Nationalists) led by Sun Yatsen in 1911, the 13th
Dalai Lama issued a proclamation amidst the chaos
reaffirming Tibet’s independence on 14 February
1913.
After the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, China
was internally divided and militarily weak. One of the
primary objectives of the Guomindang was to forge
unity and restore influence. A number of missions
were dispatched to Lhasa to re-establish relations
with the Tibetans. In January 1949 Chiang Kai-Shek
and his government fled to Taiwan, and on 1 October
1949, the People’s Republic of China was established
and Chairman Mao proclaimed in Tiananmen Square,
"China has stood up". The Communists set out to
regain the territorial acquisitions that the Guomindang
had inherited. This shift in power marked the beginning
of the end of Tibet as an independent state,
since the Communists proved to be even more determined
than the Guomindang to assert China’s control
in Tibet.
Upon assuming power, the Communists made it clear
that the last remaining task for the victorious
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was the "liberation"
of Tibet. The upper echelons of the Communist party
had already developed strategies for the incorporation
of what they regarded as ‘Chinese national
minorities’ within the framework of the People’s
Republic of China (PRC). However, the Communist
leaders were acutely aware of their lack of influence
in Tibet.
Since 1913 Tibet had, for all intents and purposes,
been an independent state. It exercised full authority
over its internal and external affairs and had its own
distinctly Tibetan government, currency, postal system,
language, and religion. However, the external
threat to Tibet could not have come at a worse time,
since Tibet’s supreme leader, the Dalai Lama, was a
young boy of fourteen years old who had not established
his authority.
The first military skirmish between Tibetan troops and
the PLA took place at the end of May 1950. On 29
July, Beijing Radio broadcast a speech by General Liu
Bocheng, who stated that the primary task of the
South-West Military Administrative Committee was to
liberate Tibet and that the ‘PLA must launch an
attack’. With 40,000 PLA soldiers on standby ready
to march into Lhasa, there was very little the Tibetans
could do to counter the Communist advance, and a
team was sent to Beijing to negotiate surrender. The
controversial 17-Point Agreement was signed in
Beijing on 23 May 1951 thereby signing away what
little was left of the claim of Tibetan independence.
By the summer of 1956 fierce resistance to reform
and Chinese aggression began to emerge in eastern
Tibet, and by early 1959 this had spread to Lhasa and
te PLA was on full alert. The final spark that led to
the famous Lhasa Uprising of 1959 was an invitation
extended to the Dalai Lama by the then Chinese representative
in Tibet, Tan Guansan, to a show in the
Chinese military camp. When this information became
public, the Lhasa masses became gravely concerned
that the show was just a pretext to kidnap the Dalai
Lama. Thousands of people gathered demanding to
see the Dalai Lama and to stop him going to the
camp. A revolt broke out, rapidly expanding into a
brief national uprising. Thousands lost their lives. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama fled Tibet on 17 March 1959.
On 23 March, the Chinese hoisted the five-star red
flag over the Potala Palace. After he was given asylum
in India, during his first press conference on 20 June
1959, the Dalai Lama refuted the 17-Point Agreement.
Following the invasion, events in Tibet can be divided
not three periods, which have led to claims of genocide.
The retaliations for the 1959 Lhasa Uprising
claimed thousands of deaths of Tibetans through execution,
imprisonment or starvation in prison camps.
According to a confidential Chinese government document,
between March 1959 and October 1960,
87,0000 Tibetans were killed. It was also during this
period that thousands died as a result of the Great
Leap Forward, an attempt by Mao to replace the production
of agriculture by steel and to introduce the
commune system. The second period of grave threat
to the Tibetans was the Cultural Revolution (1966-
76) although in Tibet it reportedly lasted until 1979.
Mao’s frenzied efforts were based on a campaign to
remove the "four olds"; old culture, old thoughts, old
customs and old tradition. The third "dark" period was
from 1987-1990 during which martial law was
imposed in Tibet for thirteen months following a
series of large-scale demonstrations in Lhasa. It was
during this period when approximately a hundred
Tibetans were shot dead by the Chinese Police for
calling for Tibetan independence. Additionally thousands
were imprisoned.3
In 1988 the Dalai Lama announced the five-point
peace proposal, a major concession in an attempt to
bring a solution to the Tibet issue. The struggle continues.....
Entry requirements for the 'TAR' are constantly
changing and usually require a special permit.
However, as only less than half of Tibet is under the
jurisdiction of the 'TAR', access to much of eastern
and other parts of traditional Tibet require only a
mainland China visa.
A separate permit in addition to the Chinese Visa is
required to enter the ‘TAR’ region. Recent information
that one does not need to be in a group to acquire
visas and can acquire individual permits is incorrect;
plans for individual entry are expected to be approved
by 2004.
Entry into and travel around the ‘TAR’ region is strictly
controlled and highly regulated, especially on the
entrance routes into the ‘TAR’, and these regulations
can change without warning. Highly sensitive days,
such as political anniversaries and high level governmental
visits, can prevent issuance of permits and
visa extensions. Local political activism can also be
the cause of abrupt closure of certain areas.
Therefore, especially if travelling alone, it is worth
keeping in touch with developments regarding regulations
for the areas you anticipate travelling to, both
before and during your visit.
Controls that may be enforced
-
Permits and visa extensions refused or cancelled
-
Increased surveillance
-
Increased armed personnel presence
-
Curfews
-
Late night hotel checks by the Public Security Bureau (PSB)
-
Increased number of checkpoints on travel routes
-
Prohibitions on kora or circumabulation routes, or incense burning
-
Random checks on Tibetans for permits
Tibet from Mainland China
There are several ways of getting to Tibet. Once you
are in Mainland China, you can enter Lhasa by land or
air. Most overlanders will try to reach Lhasa from
Chengdu, Kunming, Xining (via Golmud) or Kashgar. 4
O V E R L A N D
The only overland officially open for independent travellers
is the 1969km Qinghai-Tibet Highway from
Xining to Lhasa via Golmud.
-
Chengdu to Lhasa is linked by the Sichuan-Tibet
Highway, currently being reconstructed. The direct
route stretches for 2166km runs through Lithang and
Markham on the southern route, and the 2427km
northern branch runs via Derge and Chamdo. Both
branches merge near Pomda and then continue west
towards Lhasa. From Chamdo there is also a less
travelled 1028km overland route to Lhasa heading
due west via Nagchu.
-
The Sichuan-Tibet highway is officially open as far
west as Batang or Derge and can be reached from
Chengdu by public bus. Thereafter, public transport is
rare or non-existent and truck drivers face heavy fines
if caught carrying foreigners. Cyclists and hitchhikers
can avoid the main checkpoints by travelling in the
night but if caught, the possibility of fines and being
turned back at any village or hotel they stay in is high.
-
Kunming to Lhasa is connected to Lhasa by a
spectacular 2400km Yunnan-Tibet Highway via Dali.
Dechen (now "Shangrila") "Tibetan Autonomous
Prefecture" is the last open town along the Yunnan-
Tibet Highway. The route from Dechen to Lhasa joins
the main Sichuan-Tibet Highway near Markham.
-
Kashgar to LhasaThe 2884km journey along
Xining-Tibet Highway from Kashgar to Lhasa via Mt
Kailash is long and arduous.
By Air
-
Xining to Lhasa There are direct flight operating
four times weekly between Xining and Lhasa.
However, it is much more expensive than the bus fare
from Gormud to Lhasa. Individuals will have to purchase
tickets from a travel agent and will require a
special permit to do so, or membership of a tour
group.
-
Chengdu to Lhasa Flights operate twice daily in
season from Chengdu to Lhasa. One must book their
flight with a travel agent. The China southwest
Airlines office will not sell air tickets for Lhasa for individuals.
Instead, the agent will arrange tickets and
permits by forming an ad hoc travel group. There are
other flights operating from Beijing (via Xian or
Chengdu), Guangzhou and Chongqing to Lhasa.
-
Kunming to Lhasa A weekly Kunming-Lhasa flight
is available and independent travellers will have to
book tickets with a travel agent as part of a tour
group.
Tibet from Nepal
Over Land
Kathmandu to Lhasa One can travel with a valid
Chinese visa over the Dram (Zhangmu) border by
renting a four-wheel drive vehicle with a driver from
the CITS officials next to the Chinese immigration
post.
One can also book an organised overland tour from
certain travel agents in Kathmandu. However, this
may not be a reliable means of travelling because of
the frequent erratic closure of this route.
Via Purang: Since the mid 90's it has been possible
to join a tour package entering Tibet at Sher (in
Nepalese Kojinath) near Purang, approximately
120km south of Mt Kailash. Sher is accessible via a
five-day trek from Simikot, in western Nepal.
As late as April 2003, the Tibet-Nepal border was
sealed due to the epidemic SARS.
By Air
Kathmandu to Lhasa There are flights from
Kathmandu to Lhasa three times per week. Only
China Southwest Airlines is permitted to fly the route.
Individuals can only purchase tickets through a travel
operator.
-
Losar Tibetan New Year. Usually around February.
Restrictions will also apply during visits of high-level
government officials or international delegations.
-
March 5 Major pro-independence protests took
place on this day in Lhasa in 1988 and 1989.
-
M a r c h 1 0National Uprising Day - Anniversary of
the Lhasa uprising in 1959 commemorated in the
exile community every year.
-
M a y 2 3 Tibet signed the controversial 17-Point
Agreement in 1951.
-
Saga Dawa 4th month of the Tibetan Calendar.
Usually around May-June. The Enlightenment and
Death of Buddha. Many pilgrims come to Lhasa.
-
J u l y 6 Birthday of the Dalai Lama 1935.
-
August Shoton (Yogurt festival). Many pro-independence
demonstrations have taken place during
this time due to the crowd it attracts.
-
S e p t e m b e r 2 7 First freedom protest in Lhasa,
1987.
-
O c t o b e r 1 Founding of the PRC and major
protests in Lhasa.
-
December 10 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the
Dalai Lama in 1989.
Restrictions will also apply during visits of high-level
Government officials or international delegations
Outside the 'TAR'
Most of the traditional Tibetan regions of Amdo and
Kham have been incorporated by the Chinese into the
provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan.
Most of these areas are now open for foreign tourism.
By travelling into areas away from the sinicised larger
towns, it is possible to see Tibetans still living comparatively
traditional lives. Villages tend to retain at
least some of the traditional style housing of the
region, though religious activities may still be restricted,
and local festivals prohibited or curtailed.
Permits
Most of this area is easily accessed by independent
travellers holding a China visa. Sensitive areas - such
as mining and 'development' projects, prisons, military
bases, and sites of recent political unrest - are
either permanently or temporarily closed to foreigners
both within and outside the 'TAR'.
Transport
In the open areas, travel is permitted on local buses
or by paying for a lift on a truck or hire vehicles.
Accommodation
Enforcement of accommodation restrictions varies
from location to location. In some areas there will be
only one hotel where foreigners are permitted to stay,
whereas in other areas it is possible to stay with local
Tibetan families. However, you should be aware that
foreigners staying with local Tibetan family will be
under official surveillance.
INSIDE the ‘TAR’
Entry and travel within the Chinese designated
"Tibet" is definitely restrictive and expensive, and
rules and laws often change without warning and are
subject to individual application.
Permits
There is a zone around Lhasa that does not require
additional permits. Outside of these areas is another
matter. Other than the direct run down the
'Friendship Highway' to the Nepal border, all areas
require an official tour group - with driver, guide and
hired jeep, and up to four permits. Not all areas are
accessible even with applications for permits.
A brief background on
the situation in Tibet
Monitoring and evaluating human rights situation in
Tibet is a challenge considering the lack of transparency
and secretive nature in which Chinese government
function. China’s human rights policies and
practices in Tibet are not only contradictory but also
self-defeating.
Many of Beijing’s policies regarding Tibet are directives
that are implemented at the local authorities’
discretion. This means that often there is a substantial
discrepancy between different areas as to which
policies are implemented, and to what degree. There
is no one area of Tibet that is representative of the
situation for every Tibetan, and travellers will witness
a variety of conditions and enforcement of policies
throughout the country.
China justified its invasion of Tibet as "civilised"
Chinese "liberating" the "backward and barbaric"
Tibetans. Through this they instigated a structure of
racial prejudice and domination that has only continued
to intensify. The outcome is a constant level of
racial discrimination against Tibetans. In many
instances, such as cases of torture in prisons and the
treatment of school children, the attitude of the
Chinese is as severe as to consider Tibetans as subhuman.
This racial discrimination affects every sphere of society. It ranges from the highest levels of officialdom
and governmental policies, to the everyday attitudes
and interactions of the poorest immigrant. The consequences
of this, overall and individually, can often
be severe. This can affect not only the lives and
futures of individual Tibetans, but also the race as a
whole.
One such example of this discrimination is the use of
Chinese as the official language of Tibet. Chinese is
used in all government and public offices and official
situations. Employment in official positions directly
depends on fluency in the Chinese language, which
immediately puts Tibetans at a disadvantage. All public
signs and official documents are in Chinese script.
In the ‘TAR’ it is now compulsory to have Tibetan
script on public signs as well as Chinese, but the size
and visibility of the Tibetan script is significantly
smaller. Also, the Tibetan used is a direct translation
from Chinese rather than the correct Tibetan grammar.
This in itself is a deliberate undermining of the
language.
As a visitor to Tibet, you can observe the attitude of
both migrant and tourist Chinese to local Tibetans.
What level of social interaction is there between
Tibetans and Chinese? What language does the
Chinese use with Tibetans?
One of the long-term official policies of Beijing has
been active population transfer into minority countries,
designed to effectively demographically control
a dissident population. This is particularly predominant
in the urban districts resulting in the marginalisation
of Tibetans that makes it impossible for them
to participate in society on an equal basis. Along with
an implanted sense of superiority carried by the
Chinese migrants, Tibetans have become secondclass
citizens in their own homeland by virtue of their
race alone.
This population transfer is also a direct result of the
Chinese control over the ‘development’ of Tibet,
which is designed with little consideration for Tibetans
but with great attention to Chinese profits and benefits.
Workers are shipped in from the mainland via
lucrative incentives. This is despite widespread
Tibetan unemployment. Preferential housing and services,
such as education and healthcare facilities, are
established and run for the principal benefit of the
Chinese settlers.
This intensive influx of Chinese comes in conjunction
with the importation of Chinese culture and lifestyle.
This sheer weight of numbers, combined with the discriminatory
practices, are heavily detrimental to the
preservation of Tibetan culture and values, conservation
of the environment and wildlife, and to the
upholding of basic human rights for Tibetans.
Chinese immigration centres on the urban districts,
and so, different pictures of Tibet can be obtained
from visiting rural and urban areas. Even within urban
areas it is well worth wandering around away from the
main tourist sites and into the everyday sections of
towns and villages.
Notice whether there are distinct ‘quarters’ or do
Tibetans and Chinese live intermixed. If there are separate
sections, are the conditions and facilities the
same in each? Can you defect the attitude of each
race toward the other? For what reasons did the
immigrants come to Tibet, and how long have they
been there? Do they get benefits for being there?
How long do they plan to stay? What is their overall
attitude about Tibet, and its people?
Unemployment among Tibetans is constantly on the
rise, and discrimination within employment is rampant.
Apart from the incentives used to encourage
Chinese immigrants to Tibet, there is a huge disparity
in working conditions and wages between the races.
They are more often given jobs involving high risks
and poor conditions. Where Chinese do hold identical
positions to Tibetans they earn at least double the
wage. There are also numerous reports of compulsory
unpaid hard labour enforced on Tibetan communities.
Compulsory confiscation of land, compulsory fencing
and stock reduction quotas bite deeply into the ability
for nomadic and rural Tibetans to support themselves.
The majority of Tibetans’ income level falls
well below the Global Poverty Line. This meagre
income then directly affects access to education,
employment, healthcare, food, clothing, and housing.
One of the major discriminatory practices within the
employment field is not just the preference given to
Chinese immigrants, but the level of fluency in the
Chinese language as a determining factor. Tibetans
are automatically disadvantaged, and the only remaining
option is to resort to bribery and connections (Ch:
guanxi) to gain work, but this is more often than not
beyond the means of most Tibetans.
Propaganda from Beijing focuses greatly on the hailed
‘development’ of Tibet. But benefits from increased
infrastructure, and employment from the huge construction
and mining projects located in Tibet, are not
realities for Tibetans. Despite the high Tibetan unemployment
levels, workers for these projects are
imported from the Chinese mainland, which also adds
to the population manipulation within Tibet.
The infrastructure benefits are designed to assist the
Chinese settlers, not local Tibetans. For example,
Tibetans not only get second preference to the
Chinese in housing allocations but are also evicted
from their own dwellings so that Chinese-style apartment
blocks can be constructed for the immigrants.
Compensation for housing and land ranges from nonexistent
to meagre, and few, if any, options exist to
replace lost assets.
Nor is the focus of Beijing’s development projects on
sustainability, as they are only concerned with the
exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources. No country
can claim sustainable development if its people are
not involved in creating or taking part of its benefits.
Because of this destruction of their way of life, many
Tibetans have to resort to running small business
enterprises in an attempt to support their family.
Even within this sector discrimination is rife, with permits
and prime locations given in preference to
Chinese applicants, and once again bribes and connections
become the basis of success.
The inflated and highly discriminatory taxation affects
the livelihood of every Tibetan. Not only are there a
wide range of taxes that are Tibetan specific, but also
in some places, at times there are random taxes that
are dictated by the whim of the local authorities.
Taxes are routinely so high as to make subsistence
extremely difficult for many Tibetans.
Talk to Tibetans in all areas. What sort of work do
they undertake and are these the same jobs as the
Chinese hold? Are they paid an equal amount? What
sort of taxes do they face and do Chinese pay the
same taxes? Where does that money go and for what
is it used? What promotion and further training opportunities
do they have? How did they get their job? Do
they face discrimination in obtaining work or within
their work? How many unemployed Tibetans are within
the local community? What chances of employment
do they have? What do they do each day, and how do
they survive without work?
Look at tourist services. Who owns and works at the
restaurants and shops? Who is employed at the main
tourist sites? Are tour guides Tibetan or Chinese?
Who is selling traditional Tibetan articles and souvenirs?
Where are the shops run by Tibetans located
compared to the Chinese run enterprises?
China claims to have improved conditions for Tibetans
over the years. The condition and quality of the houses
that they live in, the clothes that they wear, and
even their overall appearance and health will give
some indication of the situation for Tibetans. Ask
what their standard of living is. Do they think that
their situation has improved recently? What difficulties
do they face in subsistence? Does the Chinese
government assist in difficult times, such as drought
or a severe winter? Do the Tibetans own the home
they live in? Have Tibetans lost homes or land to
housing or development projects? Were they compensated?
Were there alternative sites of at least
equal quality at equal cost available for them to be
able to replace the lost assets? Are Tibetans being
employed at any local development project sites? Are
Tibetans able to access and afford any of the new
facilities that may have been constructed in their
region? Do they feel they are benefiting from the
projects or the accompanying infrastructure?
Tibetan tour guides are under constant suspicion and
observation by the Chinese authorities. They are forbidden
to discuss anything political or nationalistic
with foreigners. They are expected to give the official
Chinese lines and propaganda, upon threat of loss of
employment if they deviate from this. It is best to
avoid discussing politics or potentially dangerous topics
in the vicinity of your guide or driver, even if you
do not involve them directly, as they are routinely
questioned at the end of each trip. The less they
overhear the safer it is for them.
However, you may find that there are still Tibetan
guides who will discuss such subjects with you, either
instigating the conversations or in response to questions.
Always be very cautious as this is placing them
in a very hazardous situation, so be aware of your
location and the proximity of others when you talk
with them. The Chinese security network is extensive,
with security cameras, and plain-clothes police and
undercover agents rife throughout the main tourist,
and potential trouble, locations.
Partly because of this situation, the Chinese authorities
are attempting to replace all Tibetan tour guides,
and possibly even drivers, with Chinese. According to
a Xinhuanet report on 16 April 2003, a first batch of
100 tour guides from 23 Chinese provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities arrived in
Lhasa to "help boost the local tourism" posing a further
threat to the livelihoods of Tibetan guides. The
guides have for several years been under political
pressure. In recent months, more than 150 Tibetan
tour guides have lost their jobs following checks on
their background and suspicion regarding their political
affiliation. Those Tibetans with a record of having
visited India, where the Dalai Lama lives, are suspected
of ‘separatist’ activities and severely discriminated
against. Last year Tibetan tour guides were required
to produce a stamped official letter reading they had
never visited India. As a result of which, more than
160 Tibetan tour guides were dismissed by January
this year being replaced by Chinese guides who have
been arriving from Sichuan and other Chinese
provinces to seek work in the tourism business in
Lhasa.
The official justification for the increasing numbers of
Chinese tour guides employed in Tibet is that the
guides from China "speak a foreign language and
Tibet has a shortage of tour guides who speak a foreign
language."
When organising the trip, inquire as to both the driver
and guide, and insist that they be Tibetan. This will
force the authorities to retain Tibetans as guides in
their own country, and Tibetan drivers will also keep
their jobs. Be polite but firm in your request. When
visiting sites with site-specific guides, again request
Tibetan guides and if there are none, bring attention
to it by asking the reasons why outsiders are giving
out information on Tibetan sites. Ask at the highest
level as possible -tourist demand can create a
change.
With the dilution of Tibetan culture and language
through the influx of Chinese, education is a decisive
factor in the preservation of the Tibetan heritage.
The Chinese claim great improvements in education in
Tibet, mainly through the building of schools. But
most of these are in urban districts, built for the education
of Chinese children and those of Tibetan government
officials. For the majority Tibetans, the lack
of access to schools because of distance, discrimination,
and high, biased fees, are still the major
reasons why their children are not educated.
The other major prejudice in education is the use of
Chinese language as the medium of instruction. Tibetan children
with no understanding of the language are treated as stupid, rather
than uneducated. All higher levels of education, and
most employment, rely upon fluency in Chinese.
Tibetans are inherently at a disadvantage to native
Chinese language speakers. This practise, along with
the Chinese-culture biased curriculum, is denying not
just an education to many Tibetans, but also any education
relating to Tibetan culture.
As a consequence of Chinese policies there are many
Tibetans who cannot speak their own language; some
believing that it is useless for their future, while others
have never had an opportunity to learn to read
and write Tibetan even if they can speak it. Even the
monasteries, the traditional bastion of Tibetan education,
are showing major signs of illiteracy.
Even if you speak no Tibetan, by listening you will hear
what language is being used. What language is being
spoken the most often in business transactions,
between Tibetans and Chinese, and between Tibetans
and Tibetans? What language is being used socially, in
written documents, and in personal letters by
Tibetans? What do they speak in their own homes? In
restaurants? How many Tibetans speak English?
Note where schools are located, especially in relation
to Tibetan villages. If you visit schools, ask what subjects
are taught, in what language? What is the ratio
of Tibetan to Chinese teachers, and students? How
much do they pay in school fees and extra costs?
How does that compare to what the Chinese pay? Are
they happy with the curriculum and the standard of
teaching? Have they experienced any bias in examinations?
How are their children treated by the Chinese
teachers? Do their children have any problems with
Chinese students? Do their children have Chinese
friends? Are they allowed to celebrate Tibetan holidays
and undertake religious practises? If Tibetan children
are not at school, ask why not?
Compare the provision and condition of school facilities
in rural areas to urban areas, and between schools
primarily for Chinese and for Tibetans. Ask Tibetan
families if they have children being educated in India?
If so what are their reasons for sending them there?
Do they have problems with Chinese authorities
because of this?
Talk to adult Tibetans - can they read or write? In
what language/s? Ask about their own schooling and
what/if any changes have been since they were
young.
Buddhism has long been recognised as Tibet’s main
religion. Its biggest threat now is the aggressively
atheist policies of Beijing. Regarding Buddhism as
directly linked into Tibetan nationalism, monks and
nuns are subject to intense restrictions and violations
of human rights. These are designed to demolish both
Buddhism and dissent in Tibet.
In many of the supposedly active monasteries and
nunneries throughout Tibet, although you can see
monks and nuns present, most of them will be simply
caretakers and money collectors.
Apart from the gross destruction of monasteries over
the years in Tibet, existing religious institutions face
restrictions that make it difficult for them to function
to their full ability. The numbers of monks and nuns
allowed in monasteries and nunneries are strictly controlled.
An age restriction of between 18 to 55 years
is imposed, which essentially breaks the teaching
cycle of the elder, highly educated Lamas instructing
young novices. Incumbent "Democratic Management
Committees" control the amount and content of
study, and what religious rites are performed. Regular
"Work Teams" under the ‘Strike Hard’ campaign
impose "Patriotic Re-education" sessions, designed to
indoctrinate monastic with communist ideals and the
Party line, and suppress political dissent. Monks and
nuns are required to denounce the Dalai Lama and
Tibetan patriotism. Any signs of dissidence or rebellion
lead to dismissal from the monastery or nunnery,
and often even arrest.
Tourism is what keeps Buddhism alive at all. The
Chinese government recognises the financial value of
Tibetan monasteries. It is not through any benevolence
on the part of Beijing that they allow some
reconstruction of monasteries and nunneries.
Even within lay society religion is increasingly being
suppressed through new policies and restrictions. The
focus lies mainly on Tibetans in official government
positions or offices, with the prohibition of partaking
in traditional religious festivals and rites. Photos of
the Dalai Lama are banned throughout the Tibetan
population, although this is not so strictly enforced
outside the ‘TAR’ and occasionally photos can be seen
there, even in some monasteries.
Many Tibetans, especially at monasteries and nunneries,
may ask you for pictures of His Holiness. Although
banned they are greatly prized by Tibetans. If you do
try to hand out pictures and are discovered you will
most likely be fined and deported. All the Tibetans
you have had contact with will be also be detained
and interrogated, and probably imprisoned.
Heavy restrictions on certain religious festivals such
as Saga Dawa and the Birthday of His Holiness are
enforced to various degrees throughout the regions
also. When visiting monasteries and nunneries, look
around carefully and not only take note of the overall
atmosphere of the compound and the monks and
nuns, but also try to discern how much they are functioning
in the real capacity of religious students. Is
there evidence of studying or are they mainly used as
guards and money collectors in the temples. What is
the age range, and number of monks and nuns? Is this
any different compared to what there were there
before the Chinese arrived? How are new novices
selected, and how often and how many? Do the
monks and nuns feel that they are receiving a good
education, and to what sort of standard? How often
are they subject to ‘re-education’ sessions and what
is involved in these?
How often are public religious ceremonies held at the
local monastery or nunnery? How many lay Tibetans
would attend these? What sort of direct supervision
is implemented during these times? Are there any
restrictions on religious rites being performed in their
community? Are they allowed an altar in their home?
Are any religious festivals banned or restricted, and in
what way? How do they feel about any government
interference in their religious practise that they may
experience?
The issue of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima,
the 11th Panchen Rinpoche of Tibet
On 14 May 1995, His Holiness the Dalai
Lama recognised Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
then six years old, as the reincarnation of the
Xth Panchen Lama. Three days later, the boy
and his parents disappeared from their
home. Within few months, the PRC government
appointed its own Panchen Lama.
A year later, in May 1996, the PRC admitted
to holding the XIth Panchen Lama "at
the request of his parents" for "he was at the
risk of being kidnapped by separatists and
his security had been threatened". Thus,
despite its rejection of the Dalai Lama’s
authority in recognising the Panchen Lama,
and its refusal to acknowledge Gedhun
Choekyi Nyima as the true reincarnation,
the Chinese government admitted the
detention of the child. It is difficult to
understand why the Chinese authorities
would go to such lengths to provide "security"
for a child who they consider to be just
an ordinary boy.
In May 1997, the PRC launched "patriotic
education" campaign in monasteries and
nunneries in the Tibetan region. Under the
auspices of that campaign, the PRC promotes
recognition of the Chinese-appointed
Panchen Lama and denunciation of Gedhun
Choekyi Nyima. Reports from refugees fleeing
Tibet, and from independent travellers,
indicate that pictures of the Chineseappointed
Panchen Lama are displayed
prominently in the main monasteries and
tourist hotels of Tibet. Conversely, pictures
of the Dalai Lama and Gedhun Choekyi
Nyima are banned throughout Tibet. Born
25 April 1989, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
was, to public knowledge, the world’s
youngest political prisoner.
Many high level delegations and offices have
expressed concern over the Panchen Lama’s
continued detention, including the former
UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights. However, the PRC continue to deny
any outside access to the child and his parents.
In October 2000, during a round of
human rights dialogue with China in
London, British officials raised the issue of
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.
The photographs did not answer the basic
questions asked of the Panchen Lama such
as his whereabouts and well-being. We
believe that these photos are not only a totally
inadequate strategy to allay international
concern, but that any form of perceived
appeasement is an empty gesture.
In August 2001, a Polish parliamentary delegation
visiting Lhasa was told in response to
repeated questions that Gedhun Choekyi
Nyima was healthy and was with his family.
The delegation was promised photos of the
boy within six weeks but never received
them.
On 29 November 1995, the six year old
Gyaltsen Norbu was selected by the Chinese
authorities as the 'real' Panchen Lama and
subsequently enthroned on 8 December
1995. This caused massive protests all over
Tibet.
Consequently, along with photos of the
Dalai Lama, pictures of Gedhun Choekyi
Nyima are also forbidden, and in many
monasteries the picture of Gyaltsen Norbu is
compulsorily displayed. As a safe compromise,
Tibetans display images of Choekyi
Gyaltsen, the late 10th Panchen Lama
instead.
The majority of political prisoners in Chinese jails in
Tibet have always been monks and nuns. All Tibetan
political prisoners face extremely harsh conditions and
maltreatment. Tibetans routinely undergo torture
sessions in attempts to extract confessions while initially
held in custody. Sentenced inmates face various
tortures if they fail to conform to guard’s demands,
or to succumb to the political indoctrination. Many
have suffered isolated incidences of maltreatment
after periods of dissidence within the prison walls.
A network of Chinese prisons straddle the Lhasa suburbs.
The infamous Drapchi Prison lies in the suburbs
to the northeast of the Potala, New Lhasa Prison sits
just beside, and on the valley edge just beyond that
are four others. Five km to the west of Lhasa is the
Gutsa Detention Centre, where the majority of torture
of prisoners takes place. To the east of the town is
Trisam Prison. The Drapchi Prison and those nearby
can be seen from the ridge to the west of Sera
Monastery. At the foot of this ridge lies the sprawling
Lhasa Cement Factory. This industry is a financial success
mainly due to the use of prison labour.
Living conditions in all prisons are harsh, with malnutrition
a significant problem. Prisoners routinely
undertake hard labour, or often face unachievable
quotas in the less physically intense work areas. Most
face long hours of military-style exercise drills, regardless
of age or physical condition. All failures to fulfil
quotas or execute exercises correctly are met with
harsh punishments. Any signs of dissent or patriotism
are met with severe punishment. As of 2002, TCHRD
has recorded at least 82 Tibetans who have died as a
direct result of prison maltreatment and torture since
1987.
At strategic times the Chinese government releases
political prisoners. This is done purely for political and
propaganda purposes. The fact remains that these
people should never have been imprisoned in the first
place, and undergo prison torture and maltreatment.
With the gross oppression and human rights violations
that prevail in Tibet, especially within the ‘TAR’, the
country itself is being designed and governed as a
prison. Severe restrictions on movement; the lack of
freedom of speech; the right to assembly; and the
maltreatment, discrimination, and deprivations causing
poverty.
Prisons and politics are not subjects that are safe to
discuss with Tibetans while you are travelling through
Tibet, in any region. Do not try to instigate conversations
along these lines, as you will be placing them at
great risk. If a Tibetan tries to talk to you about these
subjects, be extremely careful and use your discretion
- not only as to where you are if you do decide to pur-
sue these lines of discussion, but also as to whether
to talk on these matters at all.
All Tibetans suffer discrimination in healthcare,
whether they live in urban or rural districts, or in
prison. Each group faces their own version of this disparity
and all suffer for it.
In prisons Tibetans are regularly refused any medical
attention as the officials claim that they are just trying
to avoid work. When treatment is granted, the
medications are usually outdated and incorrect.
Hospitalisation of severe cases happens only when
the patient is critical, for an absolute minimum time.
Urban Tibetans have some access to healthcare facilities,
but only at a price. Tibetans are required to provide
a substantial deposit before medical treatment is
even considered, no matter how critical their condition.
This can be as high as Yuan 5000 in some hospitals
- what can amount to years of income. Even for
those Tibetans who have been able to find the money,
charges for treatment and other expenses are high,
care inferior to that offered to Chinese patients, often
even substandard, and ward conditions poor. This is in
direct contrast to Chinese patients who are not
required to procure a deposit, have lower treatment
and drug charges, and who are placed in distinctly
superior ward and general facilities.
There have also been cases of Tibetans, injured by
police during or after political disturbances, denied
treatment on the basis that they are "disloyal to the
Chinese motherland."
Rural Tibetans face extra difficulties when seeking
healthcare. Despite Beijing’s much touted ‘development’
in Tibet, which includes the construction of
hospitals, most of these facilities are designed to support
the Chinese immigrant population and are located
almost exclusively in the Chinese-settled urban
areas. Consequently for Tibetans outside of these districts
no facilities exist, and the long distances to
medical facilities can be prohibitive, terrain difficult,
and transport costs expensive. This is in addition to
the inflated costs for treatment and often-substandard
facilities provided for Tibetans.
There is one sector of imported Chinese modern culture
that is booming in Tibet with the support and
condonement of the Chinese authorities - the illegal
trades in prostitution. In 2000, it was estimated that
there were at least 7000 Tibetan girls in the 1000-
plus brothels in Lhasa. Originally most prostitutes in
Tibet were Chinese, and though many still are, the
numbers of Tibetan girls involved are increasing due
to lack of education and high levels of poverty.
The lack of hygiene and sexual protective measures
are a major health risk to these girls, and consequently
to all Tibetans. HIV/AIDS has become widespread
within China. The imported prostitutes are a
high risk factor for introducing it into, and spreading
it throughout Tibet. This is then combined with the
absence of any educational programmes, or preventa-
tive or treatment measures. The total absence of
testing facilities within Tibet is the only reason there
are no confirmed cases there.
There is in fact a dearth of any public health education
programmes in Tibet: be it maternal care, nutrition,
hygiene, sanitation, or the prevention of communicable
diseases.
Forced sterilisation is a major issue for Tibetan
women. In many areas, once they have given birth to
the maximum amount of children allowed, many are
subject to surgery or contraception techniques that
leave a significant proportion of them permanently
physically disabled, of continual poor health rendering
them unable to work, or dead. Many women are terrified
to even seek medical care for other health problems,
fearing the imposition of enforced sterilisation
or abortion procedure.
When travelling around Tibet keep an eye open for the
location of medical clinics and hospitals. Note too the
racial predominance of the population near the larger
and newer facilities. Talk to people in a variety of locations
as to how far they must travel to access healthcare
and how much it costs them. Is it any different
from the services the Chinese receive and how much
they pay? What do Tibetans think about the standard
of care they get? What types of medical care do they
have access to - Chinese, Western, Tibetan? Are
Tibetans in either urban or rural areas aware of
HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases?
Are they aware of sexual protection procedures? Are
there any public health education programmes? Are
they aware of and practise good hygiene in their
everyday living?
The environment of Tibet is in crisis due to China’s
materialistic policy of seeing nature as existing only to
serve immediate human desires. Some crises are
localised, due to spot sources of pollution arising from
intensive resource extraction and the rapid construction
of cities of immigrants in ecological zones that
are both frigid and fragile, prone to sudden collapse
from overuse. The rapid urbanisation of Tibet drains
water, hydropower, geothermal power and other
resources from afar, creating artificial islands of material
prosperity in enclaves and corridors, while the
great rural hinterland, where most Tibetans live,
remain neglected sinks of carbon emissions, under
capitalised, and lacking investment in sustainability.
Some of the environmental crisis are not localised but
pervasive and extensive, right across a plateau as big
as western Europe. The steady and inexorable degradation
of the rangelands now threatens domestic
herds and wildlife biodiversity conservation alike, and
thus also threatens the ongoing viability of the mobile
pastoral way of life on which Tibetan civilisation, and
the human use of the vast grassland, was based.
Another concern is the unsustainable use of Tibetan
natural capital, especially water, forests, landscapes,
agricultural soils and minerals, as population densities
build beyond the carrying capacity of the land. The
build up of population is made possible only by unsustainable
external inputs, including billions of Yuan each
year in direct subsidies from Beijing, and the subsidised
transportation of all manner of manufactures.
Tibetans are also losing land and livelihood from the
damming of rivers for hydroelectric projects that they
receive little actual benefit from. Their land is
acquired for the initial project, and then unexpected
flooding from these ill-designed plans has destroyed
crops and grasslands - without compensation.
Large-scale mining is taking away grazing lands and
farms. As most mines only employ Chinese settlers,
the local populations are receiving no benefit from
this exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources, only
losses. Some sacred sites are being mined, and in
other areas "holes as big as four to five storey buildings"
are being left in the landscape.
The alpine meadows, endless pastures and vast
prairies of the Tibetan Plateau are one of the world’s
major ecosystems, as essential in absorbing climate
warming greenhouse gases as any forest. These pastoral
landscapes sustained vast herds of wild antelope
and gazelle, mingling with the domestic herds of yaks,
sheep and goats of the Tibetan nomads, for many
centuries. Now these rangelands are under threat,
due to the misguided policies of an occupying force
that has no understanding of this wide but fragile
grassland that quickly becomes desert if misused.
The erosion and degradation of the grasslands is a
classic instance of China’s policy failure. It began in
the terrible decades when Tibetans were powerless,
herded into communes, with all power in the hands of
cadres and their "scientific" knowledge. In the 1960s
and 1970s China felt compelled to make Tibetan
lands yield more, especially more meat, than the
grasses could bear. As herd sizes doubled and quadrupled
at the command of the cadres the silent cancer
of degradation began. This unstoppable erosion,
affecting most of the vast plateau, is now approaching
a crisis.
Around 1980, China abandoned the compulsory communisation
of the nomads and distributed land and
animals to each family, holding them responsible for
everything. But China also brought in a policy of
sedentarising the nomads, requiring them to settle
permanently in houses on the land leased to them by
the authorities, and to fence the land allocated, often
by going into debt. This enclosure policy has concentrated
herds in small areas which quickly become
overgrazed, while restricting customary flexibility and
mobility.
The great Tibetan forests were systematically felled,
the trunks tumbling into rivers to be floated to
Chinese provinces downstream, except for the many
that smashed in the rapids. Tibet’s ancient old growth
forests were also trucked to China, by Chinese settlers
working for state owned enterprises, selling
Tibet’s natural heritage at low state controlled prices
to other state enterprises making railway sleepers,
mine pit props and construction timber.
In the warmest, wettest region of Tibet, where massive
forests of Himalayan fir, oak and rhododendron
once flourished, the crisis of deforestation is ongoing.
In 1998 China announced logging was to cease, long
after most of the forests were felled and taken to
inland provinces. This at first seemed like good news,
an opportunity to reforest bare slopes plunging down
to the river valleys that not only provide central and
southern China with water, but also India, Burma,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
It is now five years since the ban on logging was
imposed by Beijing on the provincial and local authorities
whose revenues, and Chinese settlements, relied
on logging enterprises. It is five years since China
faced up to the stark choice between Tibetan wood
and water, after realising it could no longer take both
as if the free supply of Tibetan natural capital was
endless. The disastrous Yangtze floods of 1998
forced the choice. China chose water as the most precious
of commodities, requiring that the watersheds
be re-vegetated if extremes of flood and drought
were to be avoided.
However in reality, inside Tibet logging did not cease.
It simply became more expensive to bribe local officials
to issue the necessary permits, adding to the
price, making wood a luxury commodity attracting
more black economy operators. Reports of the US
Department of Agriculture monitoring the situation on
the ground confirm the eyewitness testimony of
Tibetan refugees that logging continues.
Official Chinese plans concentrate massive capital
investments in large scale infrastructure projects to
extract natural gas from Tibet, mine copper and
chromite, and intensify exploitation of Tibetan salt
lakes from which China takes the raw materials to
make plastics, chemical fertiliser and magnesium.
Chromite is much needed.
Parts of the Tibetan plateau are already highly industrialised,
with little attention paid to pollution control.
In the arid Tsaidam basin of Tibet’s far north, oil fields
pump two million tons of crude oil annually to nearby
petrochemical refineries. Asbestos mining, aluminium
smelters, lead and zinc mining are expanding, under
the protection of politically powerful Chinese patrons.
Tibetans are powerless to appeal for pollution control
equipment to be installed, because the factories are
owned and run by the same people who are supposedly
in charge of environmental protection.
The powerlessness of Tibetan communities is evident
in the case of the Tongren aluminium smelter, located
in the quiet Tibetan farming Rongwo Chu valley
just north of Rebkong (Tongren in Chinese). Due to a
complete lack of pollution control equipment, toxic
fluoride-laden smoke pours from this smelter, causing
sheep grazing on grass that absorbs the smoke to die
of starvation after their teeth fall out. All appeals
have met with no response, as the smelter is owned
by cadres of the nearest township, who are also the
officials responsible for pollution control.
The major ‘Western Development Projects’ that have
an effect on Tibet will also have a dramatic effect on
Tibet’s environment. The controversial Golmud-Lhasa
railway bisects fragile ecosystems and wildlife migratory
routes. In the South to North Water Diversion
Project, China's Ministry of Water wants to annually
drain water from the Drichu (Ch: Yangtze River) into
northern China to solve chronic water shortages
there. The Western route of the options under consideration
involves eight possible diversions through
southern Amdo, and involve using nuclear blasting to
create tunnels through the mountains.
Many areas in Tibet are restricted to tourists because
the Chinese do not want foreigners witnessing sites
that are causing gross environmental damage or near
ones that are politically sensitive. An example is the
Lhoka district near Lhasa, which has major mining
enterprises and some recently closed monasteries. To
visit Lhamo Lhatso, located in this region, multiple
permits and a guide are required.
All these implications on Tibet’s environment have
long term and long reaching consequences both within
Tibet and internationally. Apart from the detriment
to Tibetan livelihoods and lifestyle, scientists have
observed that the environment of Tibet affects the
world’s jet-streams, which result in an adverse impact
on the global climate.
Talk to locals and find out what projects are active in
their area and how it impacts on them. What evidence
of logging do you see, be it clear felling or logging
trucks (note that most trucks are now covered to
hide the cargo)? If you are forbidden to enter an area
do you know why, what may be in there? What levels
of pollution do you see, for both land and water contamination?
What evidence of non-natural soil erosion
and landslides is there? How much wildlife can you see
and how many different species? How aware are the
Tibetans of the damage being done to their environment?
How do Tibetans themselves treat their environment?
Military and police bases are scattered throughout
Tibet: every town has an army base of some size, and
checkpoints are a regular feature of travel for both
foreigners and Tibetans. Tibetans however are not
allowed to travel freely in their own country, if even
at all. Official permission is needed for any movement
outside of the immediate area of residential registration,
and severe fines and harassment of families are
common upon violations of these restrictions. It is not
just a case of requesting permission and a paper being
issued - movement is tightly controlled and often prohibited.
The Chinese immigrants are not subject to
the same level of these controls and restrictions.
The obvious presence of the armed forces and security
is designed as a direct deterrent for political dissidence,
and personnel are rapidly shipped to any
location to subdue any unrest. At perceived times of
heightened political tension, the military and security
presence, plus other means of observation and monitoring
in the streets is greatly increased, and at times
curfews are enforced. It is solely the Tibetans, and to
a lesser extent the foreign tourists, that are subjected
to these control measures. The Chinese do not
undergo these unremitting permit and identity checks
or harassment.
Although it is not possible as a tourist to get details,
when travelling around Tibet note the location and
approximate size of military bases, prisons, monitoring
equipment, police presence, patrols and checkpoints
that you see. Observe how many uniformed
personnel are on the streets, and at tourist and religious
sites. Did you see any military vehicles - what
was the size of the convoy; location and direction;
and what were they transporting? It may be possible
to talk to Tibetans about travel, and the procedures
and restrictions that apply to them.
The Chinese have an extensive security network
throughout Tibet, but it is the most obvious inside the
‘TAR’ region. The most prominent aspects of this system
are the well-known cameras in places such as the
Potala, Jokhang and the Barkhor kora (circumambulation)
route in Lhasa, and the obvious presence of the
uniformed police and military personnel. But these are
only the superficial levels of the system - the tip of
the iceberg. For the oblivious visitor, this can at best
just mean that they never have any idea of the scrutiny
that they have been under, but at worst can place
Tibetans at grave risk when potentially well-meaning
but mindless actions are taken by tourists.
There are a large number of not only plain-clothes
police but also many undercover, and this is then
linked in with a large spy network. Always be cautious,
especially at the main tourist sites - such as
Drepung or Sera monastery for example, one might
approach you and immediately start talking politics, or
asking for photos of the Dalai Lama.
Understand also that all international phone calls from
Tibet are routed through Beijing, and are taped and
monitored. Free speech is not a viable concept in
Tibet. Additionally, emails are filtered for ‘trigger’
words, and many websites banned - this means that
you cannot access these and attempting to will trigger
official interest on the internet café that you are
using, as well as in yourself. Chinese authorities
appeared to be using packets sniffers-devices that
scan Internet transactions, including e-mail, to block
text with sensitive word combinations. Even Yahoo!
has now signed an agreement with Beijing to censor
web searches from China. So will writing about anything
political from within Tibet via email. Please consider
those who run the café are trying to make a living
from it. Also be mindful of the fact that if the
owners are Tibetan, they will bear more severe consequences
for breaches of Chinese censorship. Any
international Tibet website, including just doing a
search for ‘Tibet’, America’s CNN, the British BBC,
Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) and the Australian
ABC - all these are blocked, along with many others.
Previously, different branches of the Chinese security
forces were indicated by the colour of the uniforms.
However, in May 2001, all uniforms were changed to a
standardized blue. Consequently, the Barkhor Patrol -
consisting of previously unemployed youth and social
outcasts, who are paid by the Chinese to patrol, clean
and maintain the peace specifically on the Barkhor; the
PAP - People’s Armed Police, often used to quell disturbances
with specially trained violence techniques;
and the PSB - the Public Security Bureau, the administer
of criminal justice in the ‘TAR’; are now only identifiable
by the differing Chinese characters on the arm
badges. All of these operate within Lhasa, as do additional
members of the PSB who are dressed in civilian
clothing.
Photos are valuable documentation of all sorts of subjects
in Tibet, and don’t always need a verbal explanation
in a country where talking may be dangerous, or
difficult due to language barriers. Obviously any
unusual occurrence or disturbance is a distinct, though
dangerous, opportunity, but everyday sights and situations
are just as important. Photograph the conditions
Tibetans live and work under, in all regions of
Tibet, as well as the changes the Chinese are making.
Verbal detail from reliable origins can be a good source
of information, but can also involve risks. Use your
judgement and assess situations from all angles. When
you document information, keep the ‘worst case scenario’
constantly in mind - that if you are detained for
any reason, your belongings will be searched and
notes read. Write in a manner that is not giving obvious
information to an outsider, but still so you can
decipher accurate details afterwards.
Observe the amount of brothels and prostitutes in
Lhasa and other major cities. The issue of prostitution
is not a case in isolation but within a social context
of a system, which has the underlying political
aim of eradicating the influence of the Dalai Lama and
corroding Tibetan morality. There are approximately
2,000 brothels and about 10,000 prostitutes in
Lhasa (municipality) alone, many of them intentionally
housed around the sacred kora path.5
Even if invited, it is essentially prohibited to stay in a
Tibetan household inside the 'TAR' and will place the
family at serious risk of reprisals. Even in places
where it is permitted - with authorized permission - it
will still place that family under official observation.
Considering the current political situation in Tibet, you
should bear in mind that letters, telephone calls, emails,
and faxes may be censored and surveyed. You
are under surveillance all the time.
When you talk to Tibetans on an everyday level, you
will find most of them open and friendly, but it is very
dangerous for any Tibetan to discuss political or
human rights issues with foreigners, or to pass on
information for you to carry to the outside. To actively
seek such information places local Tibetans at great
risk. However, you may encounter situations where
Tibetans instigate a discussion, or ask you to deliver
information. In these instances use your own discretion,
as for some reason Tibetans seem to have a tendency
to disregard the obvious dangers to themselves.
Do not underestimate the risks that these
people are facing by approaching you, even if they
seem to do so.
When talking with Tibetans be very aware of your
location - of possible security cameras, and of the
possibility of others overhearing. For example, the
famous teashop opposite the Snowlands Hotel, is well
known locally for the level of spies frequenting its
crowded tables; others can be solitary diners in
restaurants; or hanging out in the discos and karoake
bars. It is also known for neighbours to report visits of
westerners to Tibetan homes.
Information on the exile Tibetan communities is also
often little known. It can be well worth visiting India
before your visit to Tibet, and make the trip to
Dharamsala to see at least one exile community.
Dharamsala is the home of the Dalai Lama and the
Tibetan Government in Exile, and many newly arrived
Tibetans as well as those born in exile live there. You
can talk to Tibetans in India and find out why they fled
their homeland, and learn more about the situation of
the exiles. However, in Tibet always remember the
risk you are putting a Tibetan through whenever such
topics are raised. The worst that can happen to you
is interrogation and deportation, the least that can
happen to a Tibetan is torture and imprisonment at
the hands of the Chinese authorities.
Even just a few words of Tibetan, such as the greeting
"Tashi Delek", will be extremely well received by
the Tibetan people. This not only shows them that
you hold their language and culture in high enough
esteem to learn even just those few words, but it differentiates
you from the average tourist by telling
them that you are interested in Tibet and its people.
This can also help open up doors of friendship. Once
talking with Tibetans, many who are always keen to
practice their English on willing foreigners, you can
easily discuss non-sensitive issues that are still vital
to understanding and learning about what the situation
is like for them there: general home life and
everyday living conditions; about school, work, taxes,
and healthcare - their views on life in general. Much
can be learnt from what is not said.
If you know any Tibetan words be sure to use them
even with Chinese residents.
Loose, durable, comfortable clothing suitable for the
season you will encounter is practical for Tibet. High
fashion is not a consideration in a region that has yet
to graduate clothing-wise from the 1980’s except for
big cities like Lhasa and Shigatse! Tight or exposing
clothing, especially on females, although now becoming
common on tourists from the Beijing, Shanghai
and Hong Kong, mark you as an ignorant tourist.
Decorum is still the standard for dress in Tibet, and
with the environmental conditions that Tibet can
deliver, function and practicality is by far the most
important. Apart from the discos there is little nightlife
to consider dressing up for in Tibet, and overall
Tibetans will far more appreciate an understanding of
their sensibilities than an expanse of flesh.
Wearing Tibetan style clothing is definitely appreciated
by Tibetans. As with the use of their language, you
are telling them that you consider their culture both
interesting and worthwhile. Even just a simple Tibetan
style shirt will be noticed, but full traditional dress on
a foreigner could be interpreted as indicating Tibetan
sympathies and may bring you unwanted Chinese
attention. The crass have-your-picture-taken-in-
Tibetan-costume tourist zone of the Potala Square is
the obvious exception!
Tourism is what keeps Buddhism alive in Tibet. The
Chinese government recognises the financial value of
not only what they can reap from the donations and
offerings, from both local and tourist alike, but also
the inflow of money from tourists utilising the services
during their visit to holy sites.
Consequently, if you want to leave donations or offerings
at temples, the only way to ensure that the
Tibetans benefit from your contribution is to give the
money directly to the monks themselves. Obviously,
the unavoidable entrance fees go straight into the
Chinese coffers, but also the Khenpo (Abbot) of the
monastery is forced to hand over all of the offerings
from the altars as well. It is only money that is handed
directly to the monks, or the Khenpo himself, that
is kept and used by them. Be discrete.
When visiting any religious site, whether a temple or
natural site like Mt. Kailash, observe and honour the
Tibetan customs. Dress appropriately and remove
hats, do not smoke or leave litter, and walk clockwise
around temples, statues and the site itself. Never
touch the head of a monk or nun, and please use discretion
and regard when photographing people or ceremonies.
Ask permission first, keep quiet if moving
around, and never intrude with the camera.
Many Tibetans, especially at monasteries and nunneries,
may ask you for pictures of His Holiness. These
are totally banned within the ‘TAR’ and most of the
other Tibetan regions. Even so they are greatly prized
by Tibetans and so it is totally your decision as to
whether you take these with you. If discovered you
will most likely be deported, and Tibetans you have
had contact with will be interrogated. Note, however,
that small passport-sized pictures are the easiest hidden
and handed over. Otherwise Mani Rinlbu (the tiny
pills blessed by His Holiness) and Tunga/Jendue (the
blessed amulet/knotted cords) are also greatly appreciated
and not banned - or obviously linked to His
Holiness if discovered.
Lhasa
Lhasa originally consisted of small villages nestled
around the Potala and the Jokhang. Prior to 1949,
Lhasa had an estimated population of 20-30,000.
Now, there are an estimated 250-300,00 Chinese
immigrants alone. Lhasa has been reduced to a bleak
metropolis of glass-and-tile buildings. The only area
with any remaining Tibetan character is around the
Jokhang - and that is fast being torn down and
replaced with Chinese imitations of traditional Tibetan
architecture, and large multi-storey hotels.
Potala
The former winter palace of the Dalai Lamas has long
been reduced to a museum resembling a mausoleum.
Few rooms are open to the public, police and spies
roam throughout, and surveillance cameras are prolific.
Every year Tibetans are forbidden to enter the
Potala on the Dalai Lama’s birthday.
Potala Square
Created for the '30 Year Celebrations of the TAR' by
razing Tibetan homes, Potala Square is Lhasa's
Tiananmen - designed as a large parking lot for military
vehicles and a display ground for military might.
Also a popular Chinese-tourist photo location, the Red
Flag of China flying in front of the Potala is where
Tashi Tsering attempted to raise the banned Tibetan
flag in August 1999. Within a few months he had died
from the injuries received at the hands of the Chinese
police. The PSB are located at the southwest corner
of the Square - the police vehicles outside easily identify
the location.
Norbulingka
The Norbulingka is the remnants of the glorious summer
palace of the Dalai Lamas. There are no obvious
signs of the damage inflicted by the Chinese mortars
on the night of the flight of the Dalai Lama in 1959,
just absent buildings. Nor of the fierce resistance by
the Tibetan people outside the gates. Maintained only
enough to draw the tourist dollar, the main reason
Norbulingka still exists is for the mockery of the annual
Shoton (Yogurt) Festival in September - where the
grounds are transformed into a mass of Chinese-run
gambling stalls and sideshows.
Barkhor
Adjoining the recently widened (for military vehicles)
Dekyi Shar Lam (Ch: Beijing Donglu), lies the holy centre
of Lhasa. The Barkhor area surrounding the
Jokhang is the last remnant of Tibetaness in Lhasa,
and it is fast disappearing. The frequently remodelled
Barkhor Square, levelled in the early 1980s, is another
open area designed to assist Chinese suppression
of any displays of Tibetan nationalism. Both the
Square, and the kora streets surrounding the
Jokhang, are constantly monitored by video surveillance
cameras and numerous security personnel -
both uniformed and otherwise. This is the location of
the majority of freedom demonstrations by Tibetans
- from individuals or small groups chanting independence
slogans, to the full-scale mass protests that
happened in the late 1980s. Much blood has been
shed here, but the original cobblestone paving that
witnessed such times, has now been replaced with
shiny granite slabs.
At the southwest corner of the Barkhor kora route,
just around the corner from the Mandala Hotel, lies
the PSB Station - a gaping entranceway wide enough
for military vehicles, that opens onto a large courtyard
parking area. Topped with large, Chinese-character
signs, when walking along the southern section of
the kora the PSB ironically sits directly under the view
of the distant Potala.
Jokhang
The Jokhang itself was used during the Cultural
Revolution as a military barracks and a slaughterhouse,
and later as a hotel for Chinese officials. Of the
few temples in Tibet not destroyed before the
Revolution, like the Jokhang most only survived
because they were used as storehouses for grain or
accommodation for officials. The temple statuary and
religious objects were, as with those from the Potala,
destroyed or taken to be sold in China.
Drepung, Sera and Ganden Monasteries
The outskirting monasteries of Drepung and Sera, and
the farther outflung Ganden, all suffered destruction
and thefts by the Chinese. These were the three great
monasteries of Lhasa, and were (and still are) regarded
as major sources of dissidence and unrest. Massive
destruction was done to the buildings, much of which
can still be. Ganden suffered the most, being dynamited
to rubble. But with the limited numbers of
monks and nuns allowed to enter monasteries and
nunneries under Chinese rule, most of these ruins will
remain derelict. Drepung once housed around 9000
monks, Sera 5000 and Ganden over 5000. Now their
numbers lie in the few hundred at each monastery.
Outside of Lhasa, especially in the distant regions,
many Tibetans will never make the pilgrimage to the
Holy City in their lifetime. Any pictures of Lhasa, such
as the Jokhang and the Potala, are extremely popular
for this reason. In fact, any pictures of anywhere in
Tibet are always popular! Also photos of your own
immediate family will be clamoured after by friends
that you make in your journeys. Tibetans just seem to
love photos and have an insatiable curiosity about the
outside world.
TCHRD relies on recent arrivals from Tibet for most of
its information. However, tourists are also a great
source of information and the advantage tourists
have over Tibetan refugees is the fact that they can
corroborate their observations through the pictures
they have managed to take! Having said so, an important
aspect to keep in mind is that ‘nosy tourists’ are
never welcome in Tibet. The authorities will allow you
to take pictures to your hearts content but will confiscate
the entire rolls on your way out.
We would appreciate if as soon as possible after your
trip you could send information and observations
including photographs with as much detail of dates
and locations etc. on them. If you witness important
incidents or receive first hand accounts, please contact
us urgently at:
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
Top Floor, Narthang Building
Gangchen Kyishong
Dharamsala 176215
HP (India)
Tel/Fax: +91 1892 223362
E:mail: dsala@tchrd.org
Website: www.tchrd.org
Suggested Readings
History & Politics
-
My Land and My People - His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
Editor David Howarth
-
Freedom in Exile - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
-
In Exile From the Land of Snow : The definitive
account of the Dalai Lama and Tibet since the
Chinese conquest - John F. Avedon
-
The Dragon in the Land of Snows: A History of Modern
Tibet since 1947 - Tsering Shakya
-
Red Star over Tibet (reprinted as Tibet : The Road
Ahead - Prof. Dawa Norbu
-
Tibetan Nation - Warren Smith
-
Tibet: A Political History - Shakabpa W D
-
Demise of the Lamaist State - Melvyn Goldstein
-
Circle of Protest - Ronald D Shwartz
Biographies
-
Fire Under the Snow - Palden Gyatso
-
Sorrow Mountain - Ani Pachen
Guidebooks
-
Mapping the Tibetan World - Gavin Allwright, Atsushi
Kanamaru and Yakiyasu Osada
-
Tibet Overland - Kym Mc Connell
Suggested Websites
-
www.tchrd.org
Tibetan Centre of Human Rights and Democracy
The only Tibetan-run Human Rights NGO, based in
Dharamsala, and monitors the Human Rights situation in Tibet.
The site carries full, downloadable copies of all the publications
of the Centre, including this guide, plus other information on
political prisoners, news, and current campaigns.
-
www.atc.org
Australian Tibet Council
This site not only covers an overview of the political situation,
news and campaigns, but also has an excellent travel information
section. A small amount of this information is Australian specific,
but the majority relates directly to Tibet itself, is constantly
and well maintained, and is a rich and thorough source of facts
and advice for travellers.
-
www.kotan.org
Kotan Publishing
An excellent site, that covers news, weather, maps, and a directory
of links that includes travel sites. Still under further development
and operated by the publisher of the guidebook "Mapping
the Tibetan World".
-
www.tibetinfo.net
Tibet Information Network
Independent London-based Human Rights monitoring organisation.
Their site offers new and reports, a look at the issues, and a
reasonable travel section.
-
www.tibet.org
Tibet Online
A good wide-ranging site that covers news, human rights issues,
and the environment, and has some travel links.
-
www.tibet.ca
Canada Tibet Committee
This site is designed to increase the awareness of Tibet, and offers
a valuable resource in the World Tibet News bulletins. Released
daily, these collect and distribute all articles published in the
media worldwide that relate directly to the Tibetan situation. The
site also covers general information and current campaigns.
-
www.phayul.com
Phayul
An independent site focused on Tibetan news.
-
www.tibet.net
Tibetan Government in Exile
Official website of the Tibetan government in exile based in
Dharamsala. Offers information on the political situation as well
as the Tibetan government in exile. Includes the online version of
the bi-monthly Tibetan Bulletin, that covers all Tibetan issues,
and regular news updates.
-
www.tew.org
Tibet Environmental Watch
A site detailing the existing environmental problems on the
Tibetan plateau, with news, reports, and wildlife, geographical,
and development sections. Also a link to maps of Tibet and Lhasa.
-
www.khamaid.org
KhamAid
A Kham specific site with a large section on travel.
- 1 The dragon in the land of snows: A history of modern Tibet since 1947, Tsering Shakya, 1999
- 2 A brief survey of fourteen centuries of sino-Tibetan relations, Tashi Tsering, Amnye Machen Institute, December 1988
- 3 The Tibetans, Steve Lehman, Essay by Robbie Barnett, 1998
- 4 Tibet Overland, A route planning guide for mountain bikers and other overlanders, Kym McConnell pp45-46
- 5 Social Evils, Prostitution and pornography in Lhasa, TIN 1999 p IV
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