A dear friend of mine recently returned from Tibet after not being allowed to visit for more than a decade.
Their eyes filled with tears as they told me: “Our beloved Tibet is under grave pressure. I worry that the Tibet we know won’t exist at all before long.”
I have the same fear. But with help Tibetans have hope.
China’s government continues to relentlessly attack Tibetan language and culture in an effort to erase Tibetan identity. And they are targeting some of Tibet’s most vulnerable people: Tibetan children.
Credible reports estimate that one million children have been forced into state-run boarding schools, where they are subjected to an “education” designed to compel loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and sever their connection to Tibetan identity. Mandarin replaces Tibetan in their daily lives. They are separated from their families and community.
This is forced assimilation—and China’s recent Ethnic Unity and Progress Law threatens to accelerate the process. It further threatens Tibetans’ cultural, religious and linguistic freedom—giving Beijing legal cover to force Tibetans into a state-controlled identity.
Nevertheless, we still have hope. Tibetan communities in exile are working with determination to keep their culture alive. At the Tibetan Children’s Village School in Dharamsala, Tibetan language, history and heritage are not only taught but celebrated. As an alum of the school myself, I know it plays a critical role in shaping the next generation of Tibetan leaders. And, right now, ICT members are helping to push forward the Assuring the Future of Tibet Act in Congress, which would strengthen (CTA)—the democratically elected Tibetan Government in exile also in Dharamsala.
When I think about the future for Tibetan youth, I’m inspired by their determination to carry their culture, identity and hopes forward.
China is trying to erase Tibetan identity from the next generation.
Tencho Gyatsu, President
International Campaign for Tibet (ICT)
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