China's Tactics of Assimilation Towards Tibetan Youth (IANS Analysis)

New Delhi, Dec 1 (NationPress) Tibet has remained under Chinese governance since 1951, a scenario frequently characterized by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as "liberation". This incorporation has not only entailed territorial disputes but also significant social, economic, and cultural ramifications.

The CCP's methodology in Tibet highlights its broader governance tactics toward officially acknowledged ethnic and religious minorities within China. For over seventy years, the treatment of Tibetans reveals the intricacies of China's extensive state and its assimilationist policies, which have deeply influenced Tibetan identity and autonomy.

Tibetans, making up around 90.48 percent of the population in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), are known for their distinct cultural and religious traditions.

Since the annexation, China has persistently claimed that Tibet is an "integral part" of its territory and has enacted numerous policies aimed at assimilating the Tibetan populace.

This assimilationist strategy intends to merge all minority groups with the dominant Han population, impacting every aspect of existence. While such policies have existed since the CCP's takeover, they have undergone considerable evolution under Xi Jinping's leadership, especially with the launch of the Second Generation Ethnic Policy in 2017, which aimed to hasten integration initiatives.

Understanding Xi's assimilationist strategy is crucial, as it is fundamentally linked to his 'Sinicisation policy' introduced in 2015. This ongoing assimilation process requires alignment with 'Chinese characteristics', which pertains to Han identity and CCP political ideology, thereby nurturing a sense of national unity deemed essential for the party's stability and legitimacy.

China's assimilation strategy in Tibet primarily focuses on Tibetan children from a very young age, particularly observable within the education system. Although the Chinese government has put forth legal frameworks to safeguard the regional autonomy and minority identities of officially recognized ethnic groups, including Tibetans, these provisions are often inadequately fulfilled in practice.

The Law on Regional National Autonomy (2001) asserts that minority schools hold the right to utilize their languages in kindergartens. Moreover, China ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992, which emphasizes that children belonging to minorities should not be deprived of the right to use their native languages. However, the educational policies in China deviate significantly from these legal obligations.

Since the 1960s, Mandarin has served as the primary language of instruction for middle and high school students, and a bilingual education policy introduced in 2010 sought to extend this to primary education across all minority regions under the guise of enhancing efficiency in both local and regional languages.

In practice, however, Tibetan schools have reported a gradual replacement of the Tibetan language with Mandarin, which restricts Tibetan children's access to their mother tongue. Although China has not openly acknowledged this change, there is substantial pressure on schools in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) to prioritize Mandarin from kindergarten onwards.

This initiative is positioned as a method to achieve "national unity and prosperity for Tibet", in line with China's broader modernization goals. A decree issued in 2021 mandated that Mandarin be enforced for all preschool and kindergarten children nationwide, including those in minority regions, while promoting Tibetan language "as per requirement".

The imposition of Mandarin as the primary language of instruction poses a significant risk to the preservation of the Tibetan language, which is a critical component of Tibetan cultural identity.

Proficiency in Tibetan is essential for practicing Tibetan Buddhism, and given that over 78 percent of Tibetans in China identify as Tibetan Buddhists, this language policy threatens the connection future generations will have with their cultural heritage.

According to the 2023 report by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), many schools in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) have been coerced to adopt Chinese Mandarin entirely as their medium of instruction.

In addition, numerous private and rural Tibetan schools, which play a crucial role in preserving indigenous identity, have reportedly been forced to shut down.

Alongside the imposition of Mandarin, Tibetan children as young as three are being compelled to leave their local Tibetan schools and attend state-run boarding institutions located far from their homes.

This transition has caused substantial psychological distress and a feeling of alienation from their families. Within these boarding schools, children are required to learn Mandarin and are exposed to political indoctrination aimed at fostering loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

This alienation extends culturally, as Tibetan children receive no education in their own language, history, or culture. Reports indicate that around 80 percent of Tibetan children are enrolled in these state-run boarding schools.

Moreover, a report by UN Special Rapporteurs has underscored the concerning situation surrounding the forced cultural assimilation of nearly one million Tibetan schoolchildren in China.

Recent reports have also noted the closure of Tibetan monastery schools, with students being redirected to state-run boarding schools, prompting Tibetan activists to raise this issue before the UN Human Rights Council.

There is no question that China's assimilationist policies under Xi Jinping are being enacted vigorously. This cultural assimilation approach is systematic, as evidenced by routine measures presented as efforts to promote a national language, which are claimed to prepare Tibetan children for their adult lives.

However, the reality suggests that these tactics endanger Tibet's unique identity, facilitating the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) complete control over Tibet's valuable territory and natural resources, thereby reducing any potential resistance from future generations.