Violence in Sichuan's Tibetan community: Chinese crackdown continues

For weeks, reports have been circulating of a growing crackdown on Tibetan areas in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

In counties of Aba Prefecture, a remote region on the Tibetan Plateau--at best, a full day’s drive from the provincial capital of Chendgu--police and other security officials are said to be detaining monks (and killing two residents in the process) from and around Kirti Monastery after a young monk set himself on fire last month to protest Beijing’s Tibet policies. Earlier this week, activists released footage of the self-immolated monk and widespread security.

It’s the same region that saw major unrest just over three years ago, when Tibetan monks tried to protest peacefully against China’s religious restrictions. The protests escalated into violent demonstrations that targeted ethnic Chinese and inflamed tensions throughout ethnic Tibetan communities in Chinese provinces outside Tibet—including Aba.

The Tibetan government-in-exile in India has expressed concern about the extent of the current crackdown, saying it could become “genocide.” The U.S. government, which said it’s monitoring the situation closely, has urged the Chinese to respect religious freedoms. (read more)