By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, May 25: Tibetans in Tawu County, Sichuan Province, on Sunday protested against a Chinese government plan to relocate tens and thousands of local Tibetans from their traditional homeland to other places in order to make way for the construction of a major hydroelectric dam, according to a Dharamsala-based Tibetan rights group.
Currently the Chinese government is undertaking a construction of a major hydroelectric dam between Nyag-chu and Tawu County, which is resulting in a large-scale displacement of local Tibetans in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, much against their wishes, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) said.
The local Chinese authorities on 24 May 2009 issued orders to local Tibetans to assemble at Tawu County headquarter for a public announcement, the centre said.
During the meeting, the local Tibetans were told about Chinese government’s controversial plan to resettle them to some other place so as to clear the way for the construction of hydroelectric dam.
Just moments after the announcement of dam construction, the centre said, local Tibetans in the gathering immediately broke up into major protest shouting slogans against the government’s eviction plan.
The residents reportedly shouted protest statements saying: “This place has been our ancestral dwelling place for countless generations and therefore we don’t want to leave our homes. We are not going to move away to any other places come what may.”
Within moments, Chinese security personnel consisting of both Public Security Bureau (PSB) and People’s Armed Police (PAP) lobbed tear gas and carried out violent means to disperse the agitating crowd, TCHRD said.
During the clampdown, six Tibetans including a 70-year-old woman, Guru Dolma, Rigzin Dolma and others sustained serious injuries at the hands of Chinese security personnel.
The seriously injured Tibetans were taken away in a van to a nearby hospital but there was no information about their well-being and health condition, the centre said, citing witnesses.
Since the commencement of the dam construction in last year in Tawu County, the Chinese authorities have been forcing local Tibetans to relocate, TCHRD said, adding that those who defy official decree were beaten and tortured.
The centre said since May 5, Chinese security forces and construction workers have been permanently stationed in the area for the construction of the dam.
The centre expressed serious concern at the plight of Tibetans in Tawu County and has called on the international community for its attention.
