By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMASHALA, Oct. 19: Local Tibetans in Choeje village in the Tsolho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture’s Chabcha county, Qinghai province were attacked and beaten by Chinese workers for protesting against illegal constructions on their land.
On Oct. 11, Chinese construction workers were confronted by local Tibetans from the Choeje village who objected to absence of any legal consultation or compensation for their lands being used for construction of what is described as solar panel installation project.
“The Chinese contractors had to take heavy machinery and other vehicles through Tibetan grassland to reach the site, called Choeten Thang, and the local Tibetans demanded that they pay compensation or sign agreements with them. When the Chinese refused, there was a clash” RFA’s anonymous source said.
A video shared on Facebook of the incident shows Chinese construction workers attacking and beating a man. A Tibetan man is seen refusing to give way to a vehicle which drives on with the man on its hood and is later seen lying injured on the ground. Chinese workers are then seen kicking the injured man on his head.
“When more Tibetans arrived to fight back against the workers, Chinese police arrived on the scene. For now, the solar panel installation project has temporarily been put on hold,” the same source said.
The clash has seen two Tibetans injured and a few taken into custody by the Chinese police.
Tibetan protestors raising voice against illegal projects and land grabs by Chinese authorities around occupied Tibet is subjected to crackdowns and even fired upon with live ammunitions in the past. Exile Tibetans say that out of the 159 Tibetans who have self immolated, some have been direct result of land grabs by Chinese authorities in occupied Tibet.
