(TibetanReview.net, May18’22) – Tibetans in a village and a monastery in Tsolho (Chinese: Hainan) prefecture in Qinghai Province are being evicted by the Chinese authorities for the purpose of building a hydropower station there, reported the Tibetan Service of rfa.org May 17.
It was not clear whether the villagers and the monastics were being offered any compensation and resettlement and whether the monastery, built in 1889, was being closed down.
It was also not clear how many people are affected by the move and how large the project is. However, the monastery, known as Atsok Gon Dechen Choekhor Ling Monastery, is said to be home to 157 monks authorized by the Chinese government. The report suggested that monks younger than 18, being illegal, had already been removed previously.
The authorities were stated to have rejected the local residents’ request to reconsider their eviction in a series of meetings summoned by them, saying they must relocate, whatever the cost may be.
The decision to build the hydropower station was stated to have been made in Dec 2021 with the approval of a feasibility study for the purpose. It was not clear which country and township the affected village and monastery are located in.