While the demolishing of the largest Tibetan buddhist centre, Larung Gar proceeds, the authorities are now reported to have forced many monks and nuns from the neighbouring Tibet Autonomous Region to return to their homes.
The demolishing of the Larung Gar has been enforced through orders coming out directly from Xi’s office with the President Xi Jingping taking a keen interest in the issue personally. The buddhist learning centre has been ordered to demolish the existing structure that at leasts shelters and educates buddhist philosophies to a minimum of 10,000 monks, nuns, Tibetan and Chinese lay people alike, and downsize that one to half its size.
“The move supporting China’s plan to reduce the size of the sprawling complex has been aimed so far only at residents coming from the TAR prefectures of Lhasa (in Chinese, Lasa), Ngari (Ali), Nagchu (Naqu), and Chamdo (Changdu).” reported the RFA Tibetan. The report confirmed the relatives of these monks and nuns in TAR has been informed to come to take them home.
The first of the monks targeted in this expulsion are those from Diru, a county considered “politically unstable” by Chinese authorities as the people of the county have long resisted displaying loyalty to Beijing and their relatives have been threatened of consequences if they did not comply to the order, said according to the report.
These steps follow even after the US State condemned the actions of Chinese authorities, “We are concerned that Chinese authorities initiated the demolition of residences at Larung Gar Tibetan Buddhist Institute without the consent of the institute’s leaders,” State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau told a news conference on last Monday while at the same time Human Rights Watch has demanded that China suspend plans to demolish buildings at Larung Gar.
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