November 29, 2024
Sentenced to eight months after censoring his video, Tsowo Tsering’s community has now been intimidated into silence
Chinese authorities sentenced a Tibetan whistleblower to eight months in prison for exposing on social media illegal sand mining being carried out by Anhui Corporation. Anhui Corporation is a construction company based in the coastal Chinese province of Anhui with shares worth millions of dollars owned by American shareholders Dimensional Fund Advisors and The Vanguard Group.
Tsowo Tsering
Tsowo Tsering’s sentencing came nine days after his video message went viral on social media. Having not been consulted during the review process of a petition he had filed earlier, the video message was a last resort and a direct appeal to the central Chinese government to protect and restore the river ecosystem of his village, and to investigate into local government departments acting in collusion with the corporation.
“For exposing sand mining at the [Tsaruma] riverbed, he was charged with harboring resentment against the government and disrupting social order,” an anonymous source told Tibet Watch, adding that the authorities had stated Tsowo’s “attitude and reaction” would be under observation during the period.
Tsowo is known to have been beaten and injured during a dispute he previously had with the construction workers of the company.
Tsowo’s video had already been censored before his sentencing and he is known to be held in a prison in his home county of Chungchu. His community in Tsaruma village has been placed under heavy surveillance immediately after the video went viral, and their movement is still under police watch. Transportation of equipments at the construction sites has been put on halt.
“Currently, the authorities are pursuing suppressive measures of control to intimidate and enforce silence among the villagers,” the source emphasised.
