The Himalayas: Tibetan diaspora’s anguish and Beijing’s scant reporting

Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) – News of the Himalayan disaster, with the death toll continuing to rise, is being followed with particular concern by the Tibetan diaspora communities. They also highlight the scarcity of information coming from Beijing regarding the situation in the villages of Gyirong County, which lie within the Tibet Autonomous Region, annexed by the People’s Republic of China in 1955.

As of yesterday evening, Beijing’s official death toll remained at 3 – a figure inconsistent with the scale of the disaster and the scale of the Chinese government’s response. This once again raises the issue of control over information regarding everything that happens in Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has expressed deep sadness at the devastating floods that have struck the Rasuwa region in Nepal and Gyirong in Tibet, causing loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure.

“I pray for all those who have lost their lives and offer my solidarity and deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all those affected by this tragedy,” he said in a message published on his official website.

The Tibetan leader emphasised that the area has been affected by disasters in the past and that these events could be symptomatic of a wider problem: “These events are certainly symptoms of a deeper cause — whether it be climate change or other factors.” The Dalai Lama therefore called for “appropriate measures” to prevent, as far as possible, similar tragedies from recurring.

The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile also expressed “deep concern” over the disaster along the border between Nepal and Tibet, describing it as a “terrible calamity” and calling for a thorough investigation into its causes.

Also at stake is the issue of the hydroelectric power stations and infrastructure that China has built in recent years in the Autonomous Region.

“On the Tibetan plateau,” writes the Tibetan administration-in-exile in a statement, “the Chinese government is carrying out various activities that are destructive to the environment under the pretext of development, causing temperatures to rise at twice the normal rate. Today, the Chinese government is openly and relentlessly expanding projects across the entire Himalayan range, justifying them as sources of ‘green’ energy — including the construction of reservoirs and dams, solar energy projects and rail link projects. These irresponsible actions are inflicting serious harm on humanity as a whole. This is not the time to remain silent in the face of circumstances that could lead to even more serious dangers in the future.”

At the heart of the debate is also the issue of possible early-warning systems. In Nepal, questions have been raised as to whether a warning from China might have reduced the number of casualties. China has rejected these allegations, dismissing them as “fake news”.

Contrary to all other accounts, the official Chinese media and the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu itself continue to maintain that the mudslide and debris flow originated from a collapse on the Nepalese side of the glacier.