Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 18 (ANI): Chinese authorities reportedly intensified security measures across Tibet in connection with the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, increasing surveillance, monitoring communications, and executing arrests, particularly targeting Tibetans in exile, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) reported via Phayul.
A heavy police presence was deployed at Karze Monastery, confining monks and nuns to the monastery grounds and preventing participation in any public or community celebrations. Officials also prohibited households from performing Sangsol rituals, which involve offering incense and burning juniper.
In Drakgo County, Karze, authorities issued a public notice banning all gatherings until July 23. Several Tibetans were reportedly detained in Ba Zong and Siling (Xining) in the traditional Amdo province, with families receiving no information about their whereabouts or condition.
The crackdown began in July 2025, focusing on Ngaba Kirti Monastery, Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery, and Gyalrong Tsodun Kirti Monastery, imposing sweeping restrictions. Monks were instructed to remove all photographs, writings, and documents related to the 11th Kirti Rinpoche, Lobsang Tenzin Jigme Yeshe Gyamtso Rinpoche, who resides in exile in Dharamshala. Monasteries and local residences retaining such materials faced charges of “political crimes,” punishable by severe penalties, including long prison terms.
The Chinese authorities also disbanded the Buddhist Educational Administration Committee, which oversaw philosophical education at the four main Kirti monasteries, citing alleged ties to the exiled spiritual leader, Kirti Rinpoche. Stricter regulations prevented Tibetans arriving from abroad from accessing monasteries or paying respects to His Holiness.
In Yadzi (Xunhua), Tsoshar Prefecture, monasteries were limited to gatherings of no more than five monks, and around 200 Tibetans were interrogated for suspected links to birthday celebrations. Monks and nuns across prominent monasteries were barred from holding large prayer ceremonies or assemblies.
In Kangtsa (Gangcha) County, Tsojang (Haibei) Prefecture, authorities monitored personal birthday celebrations during the Dalai Lama’s 90th year, conducting identity checks and requiring residents to submit photographs to local public security offices. On July 25, two Tibetans were detained in Chentsa (Jianza) County, Malho Prefecture, without explanation, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
In Lhasa and throughout the Tibet Autonomous Region, including Maldrogungkar, a significant armed security presence was noted, and the Sangsol ritual was banned.
The CTA condemned the intensified measures, stating, “This year’s intensified measures are part of a broader pattern of China’s control over religious life in Tibet, particularly during culturally and spiritually significant dates. It is also a calculated move to cut ties between Tibetans with His Holiness the Dalai Lama using threats and punishments. The ongoing restrictions are emblematic of the PRC’s systematic violation of international human rights laws, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as its own constitution, which on paper safeguards the right to freely practice one’s religion without government interference.”
About The Author
