China targets Tibetan shrines, limits what children are taught about Dalai Lama: Report

China’s northwestern Qinghai province has stepped up efforts to berate the Dalai Lama, going as far as questioning children, carrying out random inspections, destroying shrines and warning Tibetan families to take down prayer flags hung outside their doors. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Tibetans have claimed that the Chinese authorities question their children to make sure that they are not taught anything about the Dalai Lama, exiled Tibetan leader. The report stated that the new push by Chinese authorities expands efforts beginning in 2017 to ban displays of the Dalai Lama’s photos in private homes in Qinghai, which is historically a part of northwestern Tibet’s Amdo region. 

"Under the pretence of assessing the livelihood of Tibetans, Chinese officials carry out random home inspections to check for photos of the Dalai Lama," RFA's source said at the condition of anonymity. "And the officials also make sure that parents are not saying anything about the Dalai Lama to the children living in their homes."

Further, it revealed that Chinese officials sometimes begin conversations with the children living in Tibetan homes, asking them what they know about the exiled leader, who is regarded by China as a separatist seeking to split Tibet from rule by Beijing. The report said that the Chinese officials make sure that parents are not teaching their children anything about the Dalai Lama. Tibetans are also sometimes restricted from performing many traditional religious activities. 

"For example, they are not allowed to hang Tibetan prayer flags outside their homes or to build heaps of stones carved with mantras, and they are not allowed to keep shrine rooms in houses provided with government support," the report said. "If anyone is found violating these guidelines, they will be deprived of any benefits provided by the state.”

China’s crackdown on Tibetan religion 

It is to mention that China has been repeatedly accused of imposing restrictions on religious freedom in Tibet. Beijing has imposed a ban on religious activities on all party members and cadres in Amdo province in Tibet. Previously, according to ANI, a similar ban was also reported from Golog prefecture in October where a large number of informers would ensure that no Tibetan party member engaged in religious rituals including “Kora, using rosary, digital prayer beads and other religious objects. 

Last month, the Chinese Communist Party had also ordered the educational institute to stop offering learning in the Tibetan language. The order also warned the violators to get ready for “serious legal consequences and punishment”. "No individual or organization is allowed to hold informal classes or workshops to teach the Tibetan language during the winter holidays when the schools are closed.” It also asked the educational institutes to teach subjects like Maths and science in the Chinese language only.

(With inputs from ANI)