TibetanReview.net, Feb 4, 2008
Wildlife activists and experts in India are alarmed that local officials in Chinese Ruled Tibet have been compelling Tibetans to trim their traditional festival clothing with international banned furs of wild lives such as tiger and otter just to ensure that they could thereby be shown as not following the Dalai Lama advice, reported the Hindustan Times newspaper (India) Jan 31. The allegations were contained in a number of blogs from Tibet which have since been blocked.
Local Chinese government bank were reported to be offering loans to the Tibetans to enable them to buy the expensive contraband furs. Tibetan cadres were reportedly being ordered to wear furs or be subjected to salary cuts. Some of the blogs were reported to carry pictures of official celebrations in Tibetan areas with group dancers in traditional fur-lined dresses.
The Chinese embassy spokesperson in New Delhi Mr Li Hubin has called the claims impossible, adding, “China respects international and national wildlife laws.” But the newspaper said it had excerpts from the blogs, including one from a well known Tibetan writer saying, “Among men and women performers from six counties of the Yushu prefecture, many are wearing Tibetan clothes trimmed with fur of otter, leopard and tiger. More than a dozen police (men) convoying them looked like some body guards were convoying those performers around the playground (sic).”