UN: China forces Tibetans into 'training programs'
Online as of 4:52 p.m. todayChina has allegedly forced hundreds of thousands of Tibetans to participate in "training programs" that threaten their cultural identity and could lead to forced labor, according to UN experts. The programs are a pretext to undermine Tibetans' religious, linguistic and cultural identity, as well as to monitor and indoctrinate Tibetans, six UN special rapporteurs said today.
"Hundreds of thousands" of Tibetans "transferred"
"Hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have been 'transferred' from their rural, traditional lives into low-skilled and low-paid jobs since 2015, under a program described as voluntary. In practice, however, their participation has been forced," the UN said. The programs are supported by a network of training centers "that focus less on developing professional skills and more on cultural and political indoctrination in a militarized environment," the special rapporteurs added. For example, participants in the programs were prevented from speaking Tibetan, they said. The UN experts demanded clarifications from China on the programs. Beijing should provide information on how Tibetans can leave the programs, they said, and also review working conditions at the new workplaces. Tibetans are transferred directly from the training centers to their new jobs - in the process, it is unclear "whether they agree with the new employment."
red, ORF.at/agencies"Hundreds of thousands" of Tibetans "transferred"
"Hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have been 'transferred' from their rural, traditional lives into low-skilled and low-paid jobs since 2015, under a program described as voluntary. In practice, however, their participation has been forced," the UN said. The programs are supported by a network of training centers "that focus less on developing professional skills and more on cultural and political indoctrination in a militarized environment," the special rapporteurs added. For example, participants in the programs were prevented from speaking Tibetan, they said. The UN experts demanded clarifications from China on the programs. Beijing should provide information on how Tibetans can leave the programs, they said, and also review working conditions at the new workplaces. Tibetans are transferred directly from the training centers to their new jobs - in the process, it is unclear "whether they agree with the new employment."
Source (Austria)
