Tashi Wangchuk who is around 35 years of age now is a well-known Tibetan
Language advocate, he has faced five years in prison after his call for usage of Tibetan
in school’s medium of instruction. He was labeled as separatist and was put behind
bars. He was released on 28nd Jan, 2021. Recently Wangchuk was again summoned
by the Chinese local police on Jan 17, on the ground of his calls for allowing the usage
of Tibetan language in the schools that are mainly attended by the Tibetan children
and moreover in the government jobs, others parts of Tibetan public life. The next day
he took it to the Chinese social media account, Weibo explaining the details.
Wangchuk has mentioned that, the officials firstly asked him of who has given him the
obligation of preserving the language use of the Tibetan. He added that, the local
Police and bureau of Yulshul city are using their power and authority to prevent the
Tibetan masses from pursuing their problems and calling for language rights. He said
that this is how the Tibetan language has been threatened and this is the exact reason
why he is promoting awareness among government officials of the language rights
issued by the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China.
On Jan 3, Wangchuk expressed on Weibo account that, because of not allowing
exams in the Tibetan language for Tibetans applying for government jobs, the Tibetan
youngsters in Tibet are left with no choice but to learn Chinese in their schools and
sideline their mother tongue. Furthermore, he said that the situation has turned so bad
that some of them can’t even read and write Tibetan. Wangden Kyab, a senior
researcher at London-based Tibet Watch said that Tashi Wangchuk who has faced
five-year imprisonment still continuing his activism for Tibetan language shows that its
not a personal matter but for the long-term protection and survival of the Tibetan
Language. He added that Tashi Wangchuk has courageously raised his voice about
it and it is clear that he will continue doing it although there is endless pestering and
warnings from the Chinese government. Whereas, China has claimed that they
provide the minorities with basic rights to admittance to bilingual education, TibetanLanguage schools have been forced to close down, and school-age Tibetan children
in Tibet repeatedly have instruction only in Mandarin Chinese.
A group working to promote democratic freedoms for Tibetans has written to
NBC, the broadcaster of the Olympics, urging them to take in China’s coercion in Tibet
in their coverage of the games. “With just weeks to go before the 2022 Winter
Olympics, we trust you plan to roll out the usual coverage. But these will be no ordinary
Games. The severe oppression, including of freedom of expression, that the Chinese
government inflicts on Tibetans and others under its rule demands equal attention,”
said the letter by the International Campaign for Tibet. The advocacy group called the
Chinese government as one of the most brutal human rights abusers the world has
seen in decades. They also said that China has promised to improve the situation of
human rights in last Beijing Olympic 2008, but it has cracked down ruthlessly on Tibet,
which is why Tibet is considered to be the second least free nation in the world after
Syria as per freedom House. In 2020, US government has chosen China’s oppression
of the Uyghurs as genocide. Including US, a lot of other government has called on
diplomatic boycott of the Olympic in response to China not abiding by the international
norms. After considering all these, the group called the International Olympic
Committee to have the ethical fibre to claim Chinese government to follow to
internationally maintained values of freedom and human rights to deserve the games.
They even urged the US broadcaster of the games, NBC to go beyond the
business as they also have ethical responsibility as a defender of freedom specially
that of expression. In the letter, the democratic and freedom group added that by airing
these Olympics, the NBC is giving the Chinese authoritarian regime a podium to
spread its propaganda. That’s why, it is only them who can provide the victims of
Chinese oppression the equal time more than to be side-lined for the sake of profit
and their interest. With regards to Beijing Winter Olympic next month, over 250 right
groups have called out UN Secretary- General Anthonio Guterres for accepting the
official invitation for the opening of the ceremony. The appeal letter condemns
Secretary General’s decision as highly inappropriate and said that it grossly
undermined the UN’S Commitment to human rights. The coalition includes global civil
society groups representing Tibetan, Uyghur, Hong Konger, Chinese, Southern
Mongolian, and Taiwanese communities.
In the letter, it was mentioned that the Secretary-General’s participation would
challenge the United Nation’s efforts to hold China responsible and go in contradiction
of the core principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They
also added that, his acceptance for the invitation would give confidence to China’s
disregard for international human rights laws and will serve as an encouragement for
the actions of the Chinese authorities. The groups requested the UN chief Mr Guterres
to reconsider his choice to attend the Genocide Games since major nations have
announced diplomatic boycott in the last few months. China is now the subject of an
Olympic boycott movement.
Recent Events Boycotting China
