China Tightens Grip on Tibetan Monasteries with Forced Relocations

The Chinese government has intensified its crackdown on Tibetan Buddhism by relocating young monks from Kirti Monastery to state-run boarding schools with stringent restrictions. This move, part of a broader campaign, aims to enforce 'patriotic education' and suppress Tibetan culture, stirring concerns about human rights violations.

The Chinese authorities have intensified their efforts to control Tibetan Buddhism, forcibly relocating hundreds of young monks from the renowned Kirti Monastery to state-managed boarding schools in Ngaba County, Sichuan Province.

According to reports by Radio Free Asia (RFA), these students, aged between 6 and 17, are subjected to conditions akin to incarceration. The curriculum is exclusively in Mandarin, and they are barred from leaving the premises or communicating with their families.

Attempts to escape have resulted in harsh penalties, with students treated as criminals and subjected to further restrictions. In July, more than 1,000 young monks were affected by the closure of the monastic school at Kirti Monastery. Similarly, Lhamo Kirti Monastery in Dzoge County saw its educational institution shut down, impacting over 600 students.

Chinese authorities coerced parents into consenting to place their children in government institutions for state-mandated 'patriotic education.' Advocates argue that these policies are part of a broader agenda to eliminate the Tibetan language and culture while enforcing loyalty to the Chinese state and its Communist Party.

Once removed from their monasteries, students experience isolation from their families and insufficient medical attention. Parents attempting to visit face bureaucratic hurdles and threats of imprisonment. Increased surveillance and restrictions have been reported in Ngaba County, overseen by a senior official from China's United Front Work Department.

The crackdown on external communications has also increased. In September, four Tibetans, including two monks from Kirti Monastery, were detained for contacting individuals outside the region. Officials in Dzoge County have seized phones from monks and educators at Lhamo Kirti Monastery, accusing them of spreading unauthorized information.

While the Chinese government cites the need for national unity, Tibetans view this as a breach of human rights, aiming to erase their religious, linguistic, and cultural identity, as reported by RFA and ANI.

(With inputs from agencies.)