China intensifies crackdown in Tibetan region, demolishes sacred sites

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 17 (ANI): Chinese authorities have launched a sweeping campaign across the so-called Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, targeting Tibetan religious symbols, cultural traditions, and local government officials in what activists describe as an intensified effort to assimilate Tibetans into the Chinese state framework, as reported by Tibet Times.

According to Tibet Times, the crackdown accelerated after the appointment of Chinese official Xiong Yuanlai as Communist Party Secretary of the prefecture in April 2026. Since then, authorities have reportedly implemented a series of measures across counties, including Chabcha, Trika, Mangra, Ba, and Dragkar, resulting in widespread distress among local Tibetans. Sources stated that hundreds of sacred Mani stone mounds, important symbols of the Tibetan Buddhist faith, have been systematically demolished and buried.

Officials have reportedly justified the campaign by promoting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ethnic policies and emphasising state authority over religious traditions. One source claimed that more than 90 per cent of Mani stone structures in the region have already been removed.

The crackdown has also extended to private households. Prayer flags, wind-horse flags, and traditional doorway banners have been torn down and burned across multiple communities. Residents have allegedly been compelled to display the Chinese national flag on their rooftops, replacing long-standing religious and cultural symbols in the region.

Local sources further reported that many Tibetan government employees have been dismissed under claims that Tibetans are overrepresented in public offices. Several positions have reportedly been filled by ethnic Chinese officials, as cited by Tibet Times.

One resident described the atmosphere as one of fear and hopelessness, saying that since the arrival of the new Party Secretary, people have felt unable to resist official directives. The individual compared the current situation to the repression experienced during the late 1950s, a period remembered by many Tibetans for severe political upheaval and state control, as reported by Tibet Times. (ANI)

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