'China must allow Tibetans to decide their own future through referendum'

Lhasa, Sep 22 (IANS) China's invasion of Tibet in 1950 has not been able to win the hearts of the Tibetans as for them, it has resulted in the loss of sovereignty, suppression of culture and the erosion of basic freedoms. If China thinks to prove otherwise, it must hold a referendum in Tibet in which residents can freely take a decision regarding their future, a report has detailed.

"A referendum would allow Tibetans to express, freely and without coercion, whether they accept the so‑called 'liberation' or reject it as an occupation. Such a vote would be the ultimate measure of legitimacy. Self-determination is a principle enshrined in international law. Referendums have resolved disputes from East Timor to South Sudan. If China is confident in its claim that Tibetans are 'grateful citizens,' then a ballot box should confirm it," Khedroob Thondup, nephew of the 14th Dalai Lama, wrote in 'The Tibet Express'.

The reality on the ground in Tibet reveals a different story, as the Tibetan language has been sidelined in schools, monasteries have been monitored, and photos of the Dalai Lama have been prohibited. Arbitrary arrests, surveillance and restrictions on religious practice regularly occur in Tibet. These realities reveal the hollowness of the "liberation" narrative, as liberation does not mean surveillance, censorship and fear.

"China’s 1950 invasion of Tibet has failed to win the hearts of the Tibetan people. Decades of propaganda cannot mask the truth: Tibetans remain unconquered in spirit. If Beijing wishes to prove otherwise, it must allow Tibetans to decide their own future through a referendum. Anything less is an admission that “liberation” was never liberation at all, but occupation," Thondup mentioned.

Recently, a leading international press freedom organisation strongly condemned the sweeping restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities on media professionals from accessing vital information regarding the Tibetan region following the devastating flash floods.

The massive flood that struck Nepal's Rasuwa originated in the Tibetan region of China on August 26. It swept through the transboundary Bhote Koshi River, leaving over a thousand dead and causing massive destruction in the Himalayan nation.

Expressing grave concern, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that no independent Tibetan media outlet or international news organisation has been granted access to the disaster-stricken area.

The organisation said this "reflects a long-standing practice of the Chinese regime, which exercises some of the strictest control in the world over media professionals."

In the aftermath of the disaster, it said, the Chinese authorities have only authorised state media to cover the floods in Tibetan areas, with reports highlighting Beijing's achievements and successes in relief efforts rather than providing a comprehensive account of the scale and impact of the devastation.

Criticising the restrictions on media coverage, Aleksandra Bielakowska, Head of Advocacy, RSF Asia-Pacific, said that in recent years, under Chinese President Xi Jinping's leadership, Tibet has become a "de facto information black hole".

"No independent Tibetan media, nor any international media, are permitted to freely cover news from this autonomous region. The only outlets allowed to operate are those controlled by the state and its propaganda organs, which report on events in according to the guidelines approved by the Chinese Communist Party's Propaganda Department. Under these circumstances, it is virtually impossible to gauge the true scale of the tragedy, as the regime seeks to whitewash its international image and stifle any information that might cast it in an unfavourable light," Bielakowska stated.

--IANS

akl/as