(TibetanReview.net, May30’19) – Ahead of celebrations marking his 84th birthday, Chinese authorities have Launched a new push to enforce its ban on pictures of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, even in remote nomadic locations with little or no routine Chinese presence in Karze (Chinese: Ganzi) Prefecture of Sichuan Province, reported the Tibetan Service of rfa.org May 29.
Such remote locations were said to have been missed by the Chinese authorities during previous campaign actions.
This year’s campaign, begun at the end of April, was launched in the prefecture’s Serta County, Sichuan Province, and was now also being enforced in other areas as well of the traditional Tibetan province of Kham, the report said, citing a former Tibetan political prisoner now living in Switzerland and who maintains local contacts.
“Chinese officials have banned the display of Dalai Lama photos in every family home of my native place in Serta,” the report quoted monk Golog Jigme as saying, citing sources in the county.
Both those found to possess Dalai Lama pictures and their village leaders were said to be punished heavily.
“If the Chinese authorities discover the banned photos in any family home, not only will that family be fined, but the land of the village heads will be confiscated.” He has added that one Tibetan living in Serta was recently fined for posting a photo of the Dalai Lama on the popular Chinese social media platform WeChat.
Chinese officials were also stated to be visiting Tibetan schools and issuing warnings to teachers and students alike, telling them not to keep or display any picture of the Dalai Lama.
