China tightens control over people inside Tibet, escape to India is not an easy task now, says Tsering
economictimes.indiatimes.com
Intensified Chinese controls have made it increasingly difficult for Tibetans to escape to India, resulting in a significant decline in arrivals. As a result, Tibetan community institutions in Dharamshala face challenges, and new initiatives in Western countries aim to establish compact Tibetan communities.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/18029420

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According to Sikyong Penpa Tsering, President of the Tibetan government-in-exile, the sharp decline in Tibetan arrivals is attributed to increased Chinese control following the 2008 uprising. Tsering also pointed to demographic shifts in Tibet, noting that there are fewer children due to reduced family sizes.

Speaking to ANI, President of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering said, “Just like any other community, the Tibetan diaspora community is also facing a lot of social and demographic change. One reason is, of course, from 1959-60 people proceeded or followed His Holiness the Dalai Lama–about 80-85 thousand Tibetans who came to India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Then till about the early 80s, there was no movement from Tibet at all, and from the early 80s onwards, some Tibetans were coming out during Hua Guofeng’s time, and then from the 90s and year 2000, there were quite many Tibetans coming out up to 2008. We used to receive any number between 2,500 to 3,500 Tibetans every year. Most of them were young children who were left behind to study in India, not knowing whether they would be able to meet their families again or not.”

This drastic decline has resulted in the Tibetan Reception Centre in Khaniyara village near Dharamshala standing largely vacant.

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“After the 2008 uprising in Tibet, there was more control inside Tibet, and there may be other reasons why those things are happening. After Xi Jinping came into power, the control over the whole of China, more particularly over the Tibetan people, has been very strong, and even small variables like tourist guides who have been bringing these people over the Himalayas by taking money–have also been removed from Lhasa, as a lot more pressure on the Nepalese government,” said Tsering.

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Tsering highlighted efforts in Western countries to create new compact communities. “The larger number of Tibetans are in North America, Europe, Australia–all these countries. So there have been some initiatives from some Tibetans, particularly in Manasota, where we are talking about at least 3,000 to 5,000 Tibetans. They are planning to acquire about 80 acres of land to accommodate about 300 families where the compact Tibetan communities [can thrive]. Another group is also planning to open a charter school for Tibetans. These are new ecosystems within the Tibetan community,” he said.

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