(TibetanReview.net, Apr08’24) — China has shut down a Tibetan-language weblog and its related social media blog that have been popular among Tibetans in Tibet and exile for alleged copyright infringement. However, the move is seen as part of an ongoing Sinicization drive targeting Tibetan language and culture.
The administrator of Luktsang Palyon, or “Tibet Sheep” in English, said Apr 2 that its website and related WeChat blog had been blocked by authorities for alleged copyright infringement and that a formal appeal had been filed for its restoration, reported the Tibetan service of rfa.org Apr 8.
The report did not suggest that any specific instance was mentioned of the alleged copyright infringement, or that any complaint had been made on the basis of which the official allegation was made.
“The government has completely blocked access to Luktsang Palyon,” the administrator has said, desiring not to be named for safety reasons.
The report cited a source in Tibet, also desiring not to be named and familiar with the matter, as saying there was little hope that the decision will be reversed, suggesting that the real reason was ulterior.
Started in Mar 2013, Luktsang Palyon has focused on topics related to Tibetan language and culture, and has built up a loyal community of readers as a resource on writings by Tibetans in Tibet and overseas.
It was stated to have posted about 10,000 pieces of educational contents, articles and stories, lyrics, Tibetan-Chinese translations and audio contents.
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The report pointed out that over the past few years, Chinese authorities had ramped up efforts to restrict the use of Tibetan language, with clampdowns on related blogs, schools, websites, social media platforms, and apps, as Beijing pushed ahead with assimilation policies in Tibet.
It was also noted that China had blocked other Tibetan-language online platforms as well in recent years. It noted that in 2022, China-based language learning app Talkmate and video-streaming service Bilibili removed Tibetan and Uyghur languages from their sites following a directive issued by Chinese authorities.
Later that year, the creators of a popular Tibetan-language short video-sharing app called GangYang shut itself down in a surprise move, ostensibly for financial reasons.
“Shutting down this platform is a matter of significant loss and concern for the Tibetan scholarly community as it has been a constant source to access content,” Beri Jigme Wangyal, a literature professor and author at the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Varanasi, India, ha said.