Dharamshala — Chinese government intensified its systematic policy of eliminating the root of Tibetan identity – the Tibetan language – by implementing a series of measures that have had a significant impact on the linguistic and cultural heritage of the region. These measures include sending Tibetan children to Chinese colonial boarding schools, shutting down Tibetan schools, and arresting Tibetan writers, intellectuals, and teachers.
As a result of these policies, Tibetan children now speak Chinese to each other and to their parents. The parents are seriously concerned about the situation. Yet they were powerless to do anything.
According to reliable sources, the Chinese government under the leadership of Xi Jinping, has stepped up the Sinicisation of Tibetan culture, language and religion in recent months. In this year's National College Entrance Examination (Chinese: Gaokao) in early June, the Chinese authorities failed more than 200 Tibetan students taking core subjects in Tibetan; out of more than 200 Tibetan students taking the exams from one school, only 7 or 8 students passed.
The objective is to reduce the number of Tibetan students studying subjects in their own language. Additionally, the reality is that, without proficiency in Chinese, which is a requirement for admission to higher education in China, Tibetan students face significant obstacles to pursuing their education. The situation is becoming increasingly challenging and, as a result, every young Tibetan has to speak in Chinese, think in Chinese, act like Chinese and Chinese authorities elinimate rich and distinguish Tibetan culture from them.
"The Chinese National College Entrance Examination started on the June 7, 2024, and more than 200 Tibetan students from a school in Qinghai, Amdo Province, Tibet took part in the exam. The result was announced at the end of June 2024, but only 7 or 8 students passed the exam out of more than 200 students, the students themselves and the parents are shocked about the result, how can only 7 or 8 students pass the exam and the rest are failures. Some say that this must be the policy of the Chinese authorities because these students were studying major subjects in Tibetan language and they don't want to pass the students under the policy of Sinicisation," the source told TPI recently on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
"In recent years, Tibetan students could not get into the special colleges run by the Chinese government, even if they got into the colleges, after graduation they could not find jobs because of various accusations, the government job is not easy to get, you have to have a good relationship with the Chinese authorities, otherwise it is very hard to get the job. one of my relatives' son took five exams to get a job after graduating from college, but still could not get one. So there are many young and energetic Tibetans who are unemployed in their home," the source added.
Another Tibetan told TPI, citing information from Tibet: 'Tibetans, especially older Tibetans, intellectuals, are very worried about the survival of the Tibetan language under the Chinese government's Sinicisation policy. Now Tibetan children, even as young as three years old, have to go to Chinese-run schools, so when they come home on weekends or holidays, they speak Chinese more than Tibetan to their parents, grandparents, prefer to speak in Chinese, sing in Chinese, and these children are being brainwashed by the Chinese government. The parents and elder Tibetans are really worried. They have seen their children become Han Chinese but they are powerless to do anything, it is heartbreaking.”
"When I called my parents in Tibet, I saw and heard my cousins talking to each other in Chinese when they were playing at home. Then I asked why they don't speak Tibetan, and our parents said they don’t know, these days, they like to speak Chinese. Now one of them will go far away from home to study in a school in Chengdu city. They speak Chinese at home, they will definitely only speak Chinese when they go to another school far away from home," the source added, expressing deep concern about the transformation of Tibetan into Chinese.
