By Dechen Palmo
July
31, 2018
According
to a report published on 20 July, 2018 by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights
and Democracy (TCHRD), in Bayen Dzong of Tsoshar, Amdo, Chinese
authorities are forcefully implementing a river diversion project of Chakchu
(also known as Drampa) river. The predominantly farming communities in Traseng,
Dro, Gonpo Gyu, Achok and Adhey villages that are dependent on the river are
concerned that such project would cause water scarcity resulting in poor yield
and no adequate water supply for their livestock and overall bring negative
impacts on the local environment. This water diversion project also causes a
destruction of farmland by making a series of canal where local authorities
have failed to compensate.
Since
the local people do not know where and why the river has been diverted, it is
speculated that the river is either being diverted towards the dominant Hui
(Chinese Muslim) community or to other development projects such as mines or dams.
Therefore, there is a possibility of continued protests or water disputes
between Tibetan and Hui people. So to avoid such conflict, it is the
responsibility of the Chinese government to provide information, engage in
inter-jurisdictional cooperation and take local concern into consideration
before implementing such project.
Although,
there is no reliable data on the number of inter-jurisdictional water disputes
in this region, but the incidents seem to be continually increasing. On 1June
2017, a similar incident of water diversion happened in the very county where
the Yitsa Zachu River flowing within the Shitsa village was diverted to Tharga
Village, the resident of which are mostly Hui Muslim. This led to clash
between villagers and police, leaving 20 Tibetan and 10 police injured and
arrest of more than 40 Tibetans.
Two
Possible Reasons for the Diversion
(a)
Domestic hydro-politics
Due
to China’s unique combination of both centralized and decentralized political
systems Chinese officials are often caught in institutional matrix known as
tiao-kuai . This matrix is intended to ensure that sub-national officials
pursue priorities set by the central government, but also to provide them with
the flexibility to implement these policies according to local circumstances.
Beijing effectively controls the issues of strategic importance, whereas less
important matters are dealt by sub-national actors.
In
practical terms, this flexibility result in different application of specific
policies, including those concerning water resources. Since most of the key
government and party position in this area are held by the dominant Hui
population in Bayen Dzong, there is a possibility of unfair preferential
practices of diverting the water flowing inside Tibetan villages to Hui
villages.
(b)
Qinghai Water Resources Management Plan (2008-2030)
As
per the report published by TCHRD, the water diversion project in Bayen Dzong
was linked with the Qinghai Water Resources Management Plan. If that is the
case, such incidents compel us to ponder the question about the viability of
such project. This kind of projects often lead to the land acquisition and
resettlement, so it is necessary for local people to be aware of such
possibilities
A
brief on Qinghai Rural Water Resources Management Project
The
Qinghai Rural Water Resources Management Project covers three State-identified
poverty counties of Yadzi Dzong, Bayen Dzong and Chentsa Dzong. These three
counties in Amdo province have agriculture as the major basic industry, but due
to limited rainfall, agriculture relies mainly on the irrigation system. The
present system relies on lift irrigation through pumping stations. Either
because of defection in the water-lifting system or overburdened electricity
bills, farmers’ yield a very poor crop or significant parts of the irrigable
land remain unirrigated despite abundant water resource in the Yellow River. In
order to resolve the problem, the Lijiaxia and Gongboxia irrigation schemes
have been included into the Qinghai Provincial 11 Five-Year Water Resources
Project Portfolio as key water conservancy projects.
The
Lijiaxia irrigation scheme lies on northern and southern banks of the Yellow
River mainstream, which flows through the territories of Bayen Dzong and
Chentsa Dzong in Amdo Porvince. The Gongboxia irrigation scheme is located on
either bank of the Yellow River, which flows through the territories of Yadzi
Dzong and Bayen Dzong. Both the schemes take advantage of the high storage
water levels of the two existing dams (Lijiaxia and Gongboxia Reservoirs) and
the diverted water from the south and north agricultural irrigation channels
from the dam to provide water resources for the agricultural development in the
region, converting current lift irrigation into gravity irrigation.
Percentage
of Tibetan population under this project
The
Gongboxia North Canal Irrigation Scheme will include a population of 32,615,
consisting mainly of ethnic minorities (91.6%), including 12,878 Hui people
(39.5%), 13,829 Salar people (42.4%), 3,145 Tibetans (9.6%) and 2,763 Han
people (8.4%). The Lijiaxia North Canal Irrigation Scheme involves 42
administrative villages in the two towns and one administrative committee, and
will include a population of 36,834, consisting mainly of Hui people (93.45%),
in which Tibetans account for 5.98%.
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