Chinese authorities detain student for ‘teaching Tibetan’

According to Tibet Watch, a university student was arrested earlier this month for teaching Tibetans in Chamdo. He was not seen again after that, the report says. Many Tibetan children receive ‘informal’ Tibetan language instruction outside of their schools and have been banned from participating in these classes by Chinese authorities.

In addition, authorities have warned that violators of the government’s order will face ‘serious legal consequences and punishment’, Radio Free Asia reported citing a source. The authorities have also warned that violators of the government’s order will face ‘serious legal consequences and punishment’, Radio Free Asia reported citing a source.

During the winter holidays when the schools are closed, individuals or organizations are not permitted to conduct informal classes or workshops teaching Tibetan. ‘This is an attempt to eradicate the Tibetan language’, said the source. On February 13, Choedon was detained in Yamda, a village in Riwoche country. He is believed to have come from the Yamda tribe. Phayul reported that the language lessons during her winter vacation in the village were possibly the reason for her detention.

Tibetan Watch quoted Phayul as saying that the young student has never been convicted of anything. ‘Choedon was arrested by the Chinese authorities but she has not committed any wrongdoing nor does she have any criminal record. Her family is concerned about her safety as it has been more than five days since her arrest and disappearance but there is no clue about where she is being held or her conditions,’ added Phayul. The Southwest Minzu University in Chengdu is where she is currently enrolled, it said.

Amidst continuing language restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, Choedon’s arrest is unexpected. Chinese authorities intensified their already biased policy last September by replacing all Tibetan textbooks with Chinese-language editions, and ordering schools to use Chinese as the primary language of instruction. The authorities have been cracking down on monastic schools that teach Tibetan to children, like the Sengdruk Taktse middle school in Darlak County, which was forced to close last June.