China imposes communications crackdown on Tibetans

New Delhi:  China has tightened restrictions on Tibetan residents of a county in Sichuan province that has been a hotbed of resistance to Chinese rule, imposing measures to prevent contact with people outside the area, according to a media report.

The communications clampdown in Drago county is the latest measure by Chinese authorities to bring locals to heel following the demolitions of huge Buddha statues in the area beginning 2021, as monks and local residents were forced to watch, sources in the region said, RFA reported.

“Beginning January this year, local Chinese authorities in Drago county have warned Tibetans living in the region to stop communicating with people outside Tibet,” said one of the sources who requested anonymity for safety concerns.

“Their cellphones are randomly probed and they are restricted from sharing any kind of information with the outside. They are also not allowed to contact their family members or send money,” the source said, RFA reported.

A report issued in January by ‘Free Tibet’ and its affiliated research arm ‘Tibet Watch’ said that Chinese authorities have ramped up repression of Tibetans, razing significant religious structures while committing serious human rights violations in Drago county.

The demolition of Tibetan Buddhist sites escalated under Drago county Communist Party chief Wang Dongsheng, who had earlier overseen a campaign for the expulsion of Buddhist clergy and destruction at Sichuan’s sprawling Larung Gar Buddhist Academy.

“Ever since Wang Dongsheng was appointed as county chief in Drago, the campaign against the Tibetans has gone from bad to worse,” said another Tibetan who declined to be identified for fear of his safety, RFA reported.

“There have been massive communication clampdowns along with other security measures which have been put into place,” he told RFA, adding, “Also, the staff and those with authority in the monasteries have been forced to attend re-education programs.”

Since 2008, Drago county residents have participated in acts of resistance against the Chinese government, prompting interventions by authorities, including significant crackdowns in 2009 and 2012.

Beijing views any sign of Tibetan disobedience as an act of separatism, threatening China’s national security.IANS

Mumbai doctors save micro-preemie baby born at 23 weeks weighing 620 grams

Mumbai: In a rare case, doctors here have given a new lease of life to a micro-preemie baby girl born at 23 weeks, weighing just 620 grams. Micro-preemies are babies...

Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif to meet Chief Justice over ‘interference’ in judicial affairs by intelligence agencies

Islamabad: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stepped into become a mediating partner between the judiciary and the powerful military establishment to avert a possible disastrous confrontation between the two....

CM not above law, says ED as Kejriwal questions rationale behind his arrest

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday said a chief minister was not above law even as Arvind Kejriwal questioned the rationale behind his arrest in the liquor policy case....

Jitan Manjhi files nomination as NDA candidate from Gaya

Patna March : Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi filed his nomination for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Gaya as the NDA nominee on Thursday. Voting for...

AAP accuses BJP of ‘poaching’ MP, MLA in Punjab

New Delhi: AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday alleged that BJP has poached their party's MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural, and that "numerous MLAs...

Meghalaya CM thanks PM Modi for not fielding BJP candidates

Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not fielding BJP candidates in two parliamentary seats in the state. The Chief Minister has been campaigning...

US State Dept staffer resigns over Washington’s Gaza policy

Washington: A US State Department staffer responsible for promoting human rights in regions including Gaza has resigned in protest of the continued delivery of weapons from the US to Israel....

SP changes Moradabad candidate, drops sitting MP

Moradabad (UP): The Samajwadi Party has cancelled the candidature of its sitting MP, S T Hasan, and has named Ruchi Veera as its candidate for the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat....

AAP’s lone Lok Sabha MP from Jalandhar Sushil Kumar Rinku joins BJP

New Delhi: In a major political setback to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, the party's lone MP in the Lok Sabha, Sushil Kumar Rinku (48), joined the...

Chaudhary Lal Singh files nomination for Kathua-Udhampur LS seat in J&K

Jammu: Chaudhary Lal Singh of the Congress filed nomination for the Kathua-Udhampur Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday, the last date of filing papers for the constituency. Accompanied by dozens of...

Private information of 2.7 million Pakistanis compromised

Islamabad: A joint investigation team (JIT), which was formed to probe data leak from National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), has confirmed that the personal information of 2.7 million Pakistanis...

Sadanand Vasant appointed new NIA chief; BPRD, NDRF get new DGs

New Delhi: The Centre has appointed Sadanand Vasant Date as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), while IPS officers Rajeev Kumar Sharma and Piyush Anand have been...

Read Previous

J’khand HC grants relief to Rahul Gandhi in case pertaining to remarks against Amit Shah

Read Next

‘Criminal conspiracy’: Lawyer moves SC seeking a probe into Hindenburg report

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com