Wellington, August 16: Tibetans opposing China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Law are reportedly facing surveillance and harassment. A Tibetan individual residing in New Zealand has made these claims to local media.
According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), a Tibetan named Gaden stated that he is aware of instances where individuals have been pressured by Chinese nationals. Gaden remarked, “They don’t approach us directly… they just take our pictures from a distance.”
RNZ’s report indicates that New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service (SIS) has noted that migrant communities in the country are being unfairly targeted by foreign states and their representatives. This targeting aims to limit their democratic rights and freedoms.
Gaden described the Ethnic Unity Law as an attempt to eradicate Tibetan culture. He mentioned that the Tibetan national flag is not permitted to be flown in Tibet. However, prayer flags were traditionally displayed outside monasteries, homes, and other locations.
He claimed that these prayer flags are now being removed, and in some cases, they are being burned or trampled upon. Gaden also referenced a recent incident outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, where an individual self-immolated and later died. He asserted that some Tibetans are resorting to self-immolation in protest against the Ethnic Unity Law.
He stated, “He set himself on fire for the just cause of Tibetans, as we are all extremely frustrated.” Gaden emphasized that Tibetans are peaceful and do not wish to inflict harm or violence within China. Their only demand is to preserve their identity and culture.
Meanwhile, a report published in ‘The European Times’ claims that the Chinese Communist Party’s policies in Tibet exemplify imperial expansion through inclusion. The report notes that history shows that harsh and forced inclusion plans ultimately face systemic limitations.
Khedrub Thondup, the nephew of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, commented in the report that history indicates no empire lasts forever. He asserted that the Chinese Communist Party is currently strengthening its control over the Tibetan plateau through modernization, surveillance, and demographic changes.
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