Tibet's Cultural Heritage Under Threat: Urgent Calls at UN Human Rights Session

At a UN side event, Thinlay Chukki of the Tibet Bureau Geneva highlighted severe threats to Tibet's culture and religious freedom under Chinese rule. Displacement and environmental issues were key concerns. Historical tensions date back to 1951 when China annexed Tibet, sparking ongoing autonomy and rights issues.

In a side event at the 58th United Nations Human Rights Council session, Thinlay Chukki, representing the Tibet Bureau Geneva, brought attention to the severe challenges faced by persecuted communities under Chinese governance, organized by the Society for Threatened Peoples.

A Central Tibet Administration (CTA) report highlighted that the event focused on crimes committed by the Chinese Communist government against ethnic and religious minorities. Chukki emphasized the critical need to preserve Tibet's identity, culture, and education amidst the erosion of their language and traditions due to the forced removal of Tibetan children to Chinese-language boarding schools.

Concerns about the suppression of religious freedom were pronounced, citing the prohibition of displaying Dalai Lama portraits as a symbol of this repression. She also noted the unresolved case of the missing 11th Panchen Lama, absent for 30 years with no answers from Beijing. Additional remarks were made on alarming environmental conservation issues tied to massive reservoir projects in Tibet, displacing local populations.

(With inputs from agencies.)