Tibetan Youth Congress condemns China’s ethnic unity law

The Tibetan Youth Congress said this legislation represents one of the most serious threats to the survival of Tibetan identity in recent decades.

The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) on Wednesday condemned the implementation of the People’s Republic of China’s “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which came into force from July 1.

The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) on Wednesday condemned the implementation of the People’s Republic of China’s “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which came into force from July 1.

The TYC said this legislation represents one of the most serious threats to the survival of Tibetan identity in recent decades. “Under Han-dominated leadership, Beijing continues to consolidate its unilateral control by institutionalising policies aimed at assimilating Tibetans through political repression, cultural interference, economic domination, and coercive state measures. More than six decades after the occupation of Tibet, the Chinese Communist Party has intensified its campaign to Sinicize Tibet under the guise of promoting “ethnic unity”,” TYC said in a statement.

It said that Tibet’s distinct civilisation, language, religion, and history cannot be reduced to a seed within China’s narrative. “True coexistence must be based on historical facts and identity of Tibet, not assimilation. The concerns raised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and various UN Special Rapporteurs clearly demonstrate that China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress law violates internationally recognised human rights standards including the rights to culture, language, religion, and self-determination.

TYC has called upon the Government of India and democratic nations worldwide to unequivocally condemn China’s forced assimilation policies in Tibet. It has also urged the United Nations Human Rights Council and its member states to take concrete multilateral action to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet.