In a rare act of defiance, residents push back against the construction of a massive dam that would destroy Buddhist monasteries and force the resettlement of two villages.

By Kalden Lodoe and Tenzin Pema for Radio Free Asia (RFA) Tibetan

Summary

Chinese officials arrested more than 100 Tibetan monks and other ethnic Tibetans in China’s southwestern Sichuan province on February 22 in an effort to curb protests against a massive dam that would submerge six Buddhist monasteries.

In a rare act of defiance, residents took to the streets in the township of Wangbuding in Dege County in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to oppose plans to build the 1,110-megawatt Gangtuo hydropower project on the Drichu River (Jinsha in Chinese), located on the upper reaches of the Yangtze.

Such protests are rare in China, particularly among Tibetans, due to strict controls on public gatherings and extensive surveillance by authorities.

The construction of the Gangtuo hydropower dam will force the resettlement of the Upper Wonto and Shipa villages and the Yena, Wonto and Khardho monasteries in Dege county, and the Rabten, Gonsar and Tashi monasteries in Chamdo township, sources told Radio Free Asia (RFA).

The Wonto and Yena monasteries, which are located closest to the site of the planned project, together have around 300 monks and hold significant cultural and religious importance to locals. 

About 2,000 people live in the two villages and would be forced to relocate due to the dam project.

Local sources who spoke with RFA despite the Chinese government’s effort to restrict communication from the area said police officers used water cannons, pepper spray and tasers to subdue the protesters. The videos shared with RFA do not show those tactics, however.

Read the full report at the publisher’s website here