Tibetan children in Nangchen county of China’s Qinghahi province have been barred from going to classes at traditional Buddhist monasteries, eliciting a strong condemnation from the Human Rights Watch (HRW), reports The Tribune.
The ban was formally enforced last month (December 2018) in response to what communist authorities described as the “ideological infiltration among the young".
This latest move “violates a long list of basic rights, from education to cultural life,” stated HRW China director Sophie Richardson.
As per a report released by HRW, the informal monastery classes had gained popularity in places with sizeable Tibetan populations, where children attended them during school holidays to gain a better understanding of their language which has gradually been phased out from public schools.
"Preventing Tibetan children from contact with monks and monasteries will only fuel Tibetan fears that China aims increasingly to restrict Tibetan culture and religion," Richardson warned.
Comments ↓
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.
