Military personnel search old age homes for the Dalai Lama’s photos

Following the global reports of the death in custody of the 19-year-old Tenzin Nyima in January, Chinese authorities in the region have carried out extensive search operations to find who leaked the information to foreign media and many villagers have been interrogated. The villagers of Dza Wonpo have expressed their concern and solidarity for the deceased Tenzin Nyima. Since then the region has been kept under heavy surveillance and state restriction with heavy deployment of military personnel.

According to Tibet Watch’s sources, on 6 March 2021, more military personnel were sent to the village and conducted search operations in Tibetan households, while images of His Holiness the Dalai Lama were confiscated.  Chinese authorities also hoisted a big Chinese national flag on the main street of the village and are conducting military parades on a daily basis in the village.

An announcement was published reminding the villagers of not keeping photos of the Dalai Lama and warned of criminal punishment. It further stated that “those who possess the portrait of the Dalai Lama are punishable under the law; and especially those people who are under the poverty alleviation project and receiving aids from the government, if found or seen keeping images of the Dalai Lama at home, will be forced to repay for all aids provided.” Villagers have been forced to sign a letter stating they will not keep the images of the Dalai Lama.

Prior to that, as a part of a propaganda effort, many military personnel have been sent to old age homes in the village with gift packages. They proclaimed they were military personnel of the Chinese Communist Party, who were not there to beat [the villagers] but to provide help and assistance. They were asked to share their grievances and assured that the CCP would address them. They further insisted on returning images of the Dalai Lama if they possessed any. Under the pretext of cleaning their room, they searched for the photos of the Dalai Lama and later installed a portrait of Chinese leaders in their room.