*By Zamlha Tempa Gyaltsen
According to a recent Xinhua news (19 June 2018),
the so called Tibet Autonomous Region(TAR) removed around 1100 villagers
(nomads) from the Changtang National Nature Reserve in Nagchu region and were
relocated at an area of 27 kilometers from Lhasa. The Deputy Head of the
Regional Forestry Bureau of TAR cited low oxygen, poor public facilities, lower
than the region’s average life expectancy and the need for reduction of human
activities that might harm the fragile environment in the nature reserve.
The above news seem like any other news from China
in which the state making great efforts in modernizing and improving rural
lives and environment. But for a researcher, an unusual element of excessive
reporting about the nature reserve by various Chinese news media in the last
one year could be clearly noticed. Which finally culminating into the removal
of Tibetan nomads from their ancestral homes in recent days.
There are three distinct characters subtly and
consistently displayed in the Chinese news reports about the nature reserves;
- Government news outlets consistently and excessively reporting on the nature reserve and the relocation,
- Terming 1100 nomads as villagers and deliberately using certain terms to describe the local socio-environmental conditions.
- The news trying to create a positive narrative about the nature reserve and nomads’ relocation to counter exile narrative.
Beijing has deliberately and systematically released
selected news about the conditions of the nature reserve and the nomads living
in the vicinity of the reserve. Following are few examples of the systematic
over-reporting on the same issue.
- On 6 May 2017, Xinhua reported that China banned visitors from passing through Changtang National Nature Reserve (CNNR). The circular warned tourists, adventurers and tour agencies to comply with the reserve’s laws and regulations.
- On 13 July 2017, China Daily reported that the State Council has announced 17 new national nature reserves across China, including in Tibetan areas. Proclaiming that the nature reserves are an important vehicle to promote ecological protection and enhance and protect China’s stunning natural scenery.
- On 2 May 2018, People’s Daily announced that the Qinghai provincial government revoked 59 mining licenses both within and peripheral of nature reserves in the province.
- On 6 June 2018, China Tibet Online reported that the Qinghai province also has banned travel in various national nature reserves in the province.
- On 17 June 2018, Xinhua reported that the government has started dismantling pasture fences in Nyima county of Nagchu, which is part of the CNNR. Stating that with relocation of the local residents to Lhasa, the fences were no longer necessary.
- On 20 June 2018, Xinhua reported that relocation of nomads has changed lives for better.
First, the Chinese government clearly understands
the importance of presenting a narrative in which the removal of Tibetan nomads
from the nature reserves are made to seem like necessary and urgent, on both
social and environmentally accounts. For such a narrative to emerge, Beijing
tasked its news outlets to report about the nature reserve and the nomad
relocations before any foreign media or exile Tibetans could. Thus becoming the
source of the information which shapes the public perception and influences the
direction of the story.
Second, reports were guided by careful and clever
usage of terms. For example 1100 nomads were deliberately termed as villagers
in the Chinese news reports. Usage of such term greatly changes the meaning and
magnitude of the event. Relocation of nomads have been more controversial than
relocation of villagers. Relocation of nomads brought abrupt change to their
way of life where as relocated villagers often continue the same profession of
life. Relocations of villagers have been for betterment of the villagers
whereas the relocation of nomads were for resource extractions or creation of
nature reserves.
Third, the Chinese government tries to present
itself as Champion of environmental conservation by constant release of
selected news about improvements in the nature reserve, increase in wildlife
population, declaration of more nature reserves and firmer enforcement of
nature reserve regulations. Simultaneously, the Chinese government also tried
to portray Tibetan nomadic life in the area as harsh, poor, unhealthy and
backward. Trying to create such a narrative in which the readers are made to
believe that the relocation of the nomads a necessary step for betterment of
their life.
Conclusion
The Changtang National Nature Reserve covers six
counties of the Nagchu with an area of 298,000 square km and has an average
altitude of 5,000 meters. It was established in 1993 as a regional nature
reserve and was upgraded to a national nature reserve in year 2000. This makes
it the biggest and highest nature reserve within People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Nomads were initially given options to move out or
stay back, hoping that subsidies and incentives would attract most of them to
the new locations. But due to numerous instances of not implementing promises
and the poor conditions of resettled nomads, the residents of Changtang
grassland were not lured by the false promises of schools, hospitals, homes and
jobs. With fewer than expected nomads willing to move out, the Chinese local
governments started making lives on the grassland difficult by introducing new
laws and threatening to imprison those refusing to comply. Therefore either by
force or by tricks, the nomads were compelled to move out into new locations
with very little opportunity to thrive a progressive life.
A strong call for better treatment of the resettled
nomads are both urgent and necessary. The social, economic and educational
conditions of the resettled nomads are in extreme conditions. Lack of jobs and
business opportunities have forced man into alcoholism, women into
prostitution, and children into petty crimes. A whole generation of Tibetan
nomads are forced into absolute desperation.
The extreme conditions of millions of resettled
nomads need to be highlighted at various global stages, and the Chinese
government must be questioned on the implementation of promises of homes,
hospitals, schools and jobs.