Tibetan Whistle-Blower Detained: Echoes of Environmental Sabotage

A Tibetan environmental activist's viral video exposing illegal mining has led to his detention. The video highlights ecological damage in Tsaruma and corporate negligence. International criticism rises as Tibetans face growing persecution for activism under Chinese administration.

A Tibetan environmental whistle-blower, aged 29, from Ngaba (Aba) is detained after releasing a video on Chinese social media that went viral. The video exposes illegal sand and gravel mining in his hometown of Tsaruma (Cha'erma), highlighting severe ecological damage and corporate negligence. The video gained traction in mid-October, prompting local authorities to summon him and other villagers on October 26. While the villagers have since returned home, the whistle-blower's whereabouts remain unknown, Save Tibet reported.

The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has expressed serious concerns about his safety, emphasizing the increasing persecution faced by Tibetan environmental defenders. This incident highlights the substantial environmental challenges faced by Tibetans under Chinese administration, particularly for those advocating for ecological preservation.

In his video, the whistle-blower detailed the illegal activities of Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company, which has been extracting sand and gravel from the riverbed of a local tributary. This extraction process has resulted in severe soil erosion, threatening local ecosystems and posing risks to water security across Asia. This is of particular concern for major river systems such as the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. The river flowing through Tsaruma township in Kakhog (Hongyuan) County is crucial for these systems, reported Save Tibet.

The young man's appeal has drawn attention to the ongoing conflict between economic development and environmental preservation in Tibet. It underscores the significant challenges that Tibetans face in advocating for their local environments under Chinese rule. The swift censorship of the whistle-blower's video and related content on Chinese social media underscores the sensitivity surrounding environmental activism in the region.

The situation remains precarious, and the international community is being urged to advocate for the release of the detained whistle-blower while addressing broader issues of environmental degradation in Tibet. The region faces pressing environmental challenges driven by climate change, resource overexploitation, and human activities. According to Tibet Watch, biodiversity is at risk, with habitat destruction from urbanization, agriculture, and mining contributing to the decline of endemic species such as the Tibetan antelope and snow leopard.

(With inputs from agencies.)