China’s hydropower push destroying heritage, suppressing Tibetan identity: TCHRD report
TCHRD's report highlights severe human rights violations in Tibet due to China's hydropower projects, including forced relocations and cultural suppression.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has raised alarm over widespread human rights violations and environmental impact resulting from China’s rapid hydropower development in Tibet.
In its annual report released Friday, the Dharamshala-based non-profit detailed how dam construction has led to forced relocations, destruction of cultural heritage, and suppression of Tibetan identity.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is a registered non-profit Tibetan human rights organisation based in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.
According to the report, numerous villages were forcibly relocated in the past year, depriving Tibetans of the traditional agrarian way of life, and even monasteries razed to make way for energy projects.
The report accuses the Chinese government of disregarding both environmental and human rights concerns in pursuit of its energy goals.
TCHRD executive director Tenzin Dawa stated, “The report brings into light the dire situation in Tibet. It delves into various aspects of China’s violation of international human rights standards, including freedom of religion and cultural repression, arbitrary detention, freedom of expression, education and language suppressions, environmental exploitation and forced relocation and China’s transnational repression.”
The report also criticised China’s ongoing effort to sinicise Tibetan Buddhism. “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has regulated all aspects of religious life... replacing images of the Dalai Lama with portraits of CCP leaders and translating Buddhist texts from Tibetan to Mandarin Chinese,” it noted.
The report further pointed to the erosion of Tibetan language rights, citing that despite legal protections, Chinese policies prioritise Mandarin and promote a singular national identity. “Despite protection under China’s Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law, authorities have prioritised a nation-building agenda that promotes a homogenised ‘Zhonghua Minzu’ identity – one centered on a single national language and allegiance to the Chinese state, “restricting Tibetan children’s access to mother-tongue education and violating international human rights standards.”
Highlighting the ongoing crackdown, the report documented arbitrary detentions for peaceful protests and cultural expression. In 2024, Tibet received a global freedom score of zero out of 100 from Freedom House.
“This alarming rating reflects the extensive atrocities documented in the report,” said Dawa, urging the international community to support Tibetans in their struggle for justice and equality.