<
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/may/07/tibet-children-chinese-mandarin-school-preschool-language-culture>
"Weeks after a Tibetan-speaking five-year-old started preschool, she had
“completely stopped speaking Tibetan”, according to her mother. Nine months
later, although the child could still understand Tibetan, she only answered in
Mandarin, and at best a few single-word answers in Tibetan after some time.
Instead the girl “keeps saying that she can only speak Chinese … that she is
Chinese and not Tibetan”, according to a researcher who met the family. “The
mother thinks that the daughter is just repeating what she is constantly told
at school and that the government aims to eradicate Tibetan.”
In a new report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW), researchers say the
account is part of a pattern of Beijing’s attempts to forcibly assimilate
Tibetans, starting with children.
Tibet – which came under China’s control in 1950 – saw a series of mass
protests against Chinese occupation in 2008, followed by heavy censorship and
imprisonment.
Children are now taught to identify with the Chinese Communist party, idolise
the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and identify themselves as part of the
Chinese nation, says Maya Wang, from HRW.
Recent videos from Tibet showed young children were not even able to say their
names in Tibetan, pronouncing them as if they were Chinese.
This is breaking children’s link to their language and culture and severing
their connection to their families, says Lhadon Tethong, director of Tibet
Action Institute."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
