(TibetanReview.net, Apr28, 2014) – Chinese authorities in Kyegudo (Chinese: Yushu) County of Qinghai Province had on Apr 20 destroyed several brick kilns operated by local Tibetans after being bribed by their migrant Chinese rivals, reported Radio Free Asia (Washington) Apr 26. Other reports said the destruction was carried out with the authorities claiming the Tibetan operations were illegal.
However, the real reason was stated to be that the concerned local officials were bribed to the tune of 50,000 yuan (about US $8,000) by rival immigrant Chinese brick kiln owners.
The report cited a local source named Nima as saying the authorities not only bulldozed the brick kilns operated by local Tibetans but also burned their tents and took away their mobile phones while beating those who tried to resist the demolition.
In a display of racial discrimination prevalent in Tibetan areas with large Chinese immigrant populations, the authorities were said to generally reject Tibetan applications to operate language centres, shops and restaurants while easily approving applications to set up businesses made by Chinese immigrants. And when the Tibetans therefore build such centres anyhow, they are bulldozed as illegal by the Chinese authorities.
Earlier, in Mar 2014, the authorities bulldozed a cooperative business centre with houses and shops built by Tibetans in a small nomadic town called Karda, near Kyegudo town. Merchandise from the shops were scattered everywhere and Tibetans who tried to salvage their belongings were beaten and harassed by Chinese police, the report added.