(TibetanReview.net, Dec06, 2015) – China has ordered all Tibetan-style houses in three counties adjoining Tibet’s capital Lhasa to be demolished in 2016 and replace by new Chinese-style dwellings over the next five years, reported Radio Free Asia (RFA, Washington) Dec 4. The counties have been named as Tagtse (Chinese: Dazi), Lhundrub (Linzhou), and Maldrogungkar (Mozhugongka), all falling under the prefecture-level Lhasa City administration.
The report cited an unnamed source as saying Tibetans had been forced to accept and support the plan even when their houses were in excellent condition.
The report said the decision was taken by the Lhasa city government and communicated to the Tibetan families by their county governments, with residents of Tagtse being informed in September, Lhundrub in October, and Maldrogungkar in December.
The first lot of homes to be demolished are said to be of those receiving government welfare, to be followed by the demolition of the home of the other Tibetan families.
The project is said to entail enormous cost to the Tibetan families. The report quoted the source as saying, “families in Maldrogungkar have been told to contribute 200,000 yuan ($31,340), with remaining expenses paid by the government.” It was not clear how much the total cost, or range of costs, would be for each home.