(TibetanReview.net, Dec30’21) – China is repeating in Tibet the tight travel restrictions and other measures it imposed there in the run up to the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics ahead of the Feb 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The restrictions followed a Dec 23 announcement from Beijing, reported the Tibetan Service of rfa.org Dec 28.
The Dec 23 announcement by the Information Office of China’s State Council, or cabinet, said visitors will be strictly monitored during the Winter Olympic Games, which will run from Feb 4 to 20, in Beijing.
“In just a few days, greater security and restrictions have been put in place in Tibetan areas of Lhasa and in Shigatse, Chamdo, Draggo, Ngaba, and Rebkong,” the report cited its Tibetan sources as saying, referring to areas in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) as well as Tibetan territories in what are now parts of China’s Sichuan and Qinghai provinces.
Its source in Tibet’s capital Lhasa has said large numbers of police and armed security personnel had been stationed in the city, with visitors being closely questioned.
In Draggo (Sichuan Province) and Chamdo (TAR, movement of local Tibetans were being strictly controlled. Besides, “Chinese authorities have also begun household inspections in these areas,” the report quoted Draggo contacts as saying.
The US, Australia, Canada, Lithuania, the United Kingdom and Japan are not sending any diplomatic representation to the Games in which their teams will take part, citing China deplorable human rights record.
