(TibetanReview.net, May10, 2015) – Many Tibetans in Benshul Jeyna Village in Mangra (Guinan) County of Tsolho (Hainan) Prefecture, Qinghai Province, have been rendered homeless because authorities from their township government began demolishing their homes on May 5, reported Radio Free Asia (Washington) May 8. The week-long demolition is said to be led by the Sumdo township head with the claim that those homes were unauthorized.
It was not clear how many of the Tibetan homes in this largest nomadic village in Mangra County were being demolished. The report said this is the second time in as many years that the demolition was being carried out.
Officials from the township offices of security and law enforcement, along with the heads of 16 area villages, were reported to have been brought along for carrying out the demolition. The demolition is said to be particularly tough on the villagers for the reason that they had spent great deal of labour and money to rebuild their homes after last year’s demolition.
Corrupt township and county officials striking highly lucrative deals with developers by grabbing land from peasants is a serious problem throughout much of China as well, with central government directives and rules designed to prevent them proving to be entirely ineffective.