Geneva, Feb 6 (NationPress) A recent report from the United Nations (UN) has highlighted that state policies enacted by China in Tibet are significantly undermining the core aspects of Tibetan civilization and jeopardizing the survival of Tibetans as a unique ethnic group.

The findings were shared by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Nicolas Levrat, during a presentation to the UN Human Rights Council. The report points out that Tibet represents a scenario where state-led strategies are not just discriminatory but also constitute what the UN expert describes as a more insidious form of eradication.

At the heart of this alarm is China's extensive boarding school system that is enforced upon Tibetan children. The report clearly states that 'the boarding school education system implemented by China in Tibet is aimed at erasing the Tibetan language and identity'. Tibetan children are removed from their families and communities, educated in environments dominated by Mandarin Chinese, state ideology, and cultural assimilation. This policy hinders the intergenerational transfer of cultural, linguistic, or religious elements that define minority identities, putting the survival of these distinct groups at risk, as noted by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

Levrat emphasized that eradication does not necessitate mass killings to constitute severe violations of human rights. He cautioned that targeting the language, culture, and religion of minority groups can be equally damaging as physical violence. The report asserts that such actions contravene Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which secures the rights of minorities to enjoy their culture, practice their religion, and communicate in their language within their communities.

The report also positions these policies within a larger political agenda. It indicates that China has pursued a nation-building initiative since 2012, resulting in the 'marginalization of minority communities' and leading to 'serious discrimination' against non-Han minorities, such as Tibetans. The findings underscore that Tibetan identity is being subordinated to a singular state-defined national identity.

Moreover, the report reveals that all religious groups are mandated to register with state-controlled 'patriotic' religious associations, with communities that do not comply facing legal repercussions, criminalization, and increased surveillance, which includes the closure of places of worship. This policy effectively places monasteries, religious education, and spiritual authority under state oversight.

The Central Tibetan Administration remarked, 'Importantly, the Special Rapporteur denounces assimilation policies that promise equality only if minorities forsake their identity. Such practices contradict the principle that states must acknowledge the existence and identity of individuals belonging to a minority.'