Tibetans Protest against Chinese Mining Firms

A group of over 100 Tibetans gathered for a sit-in protest against the ongoing mining activities by Chinese mining firms in Yulshok Gargye in Minyak County of Eastern Tibet. They were demanding an end to the mining and calling for urgent action to protect the environment and wildlife. According to a video being circulated online, the peaceful sit-in protest, which took place on May 4, was dispersed by a troop of Chinese police.

Tibetans in Minyak County eastern Tibet protesting against mining operation in their region
Photo: TPI

The protest was prompted by the discovery of a large number of dead fish in the Luchu River, which is a tributary of the Yangze River. Aka Penpa, a source in exile with contacts in the region said, “the ongoing mining has led to toxic wastes being dumped into the river resulting in the death of a large number of fish.” He added that toxic waste from mining operations is known to poison nomads’ drinking water and kill their livestock.

The protesters raised slogans highlighting the lack of official laws regarding this type of exploitation. The sources said that it is unknown whether or not any of the Tibetan protesters were arrested and that the situation there has become very intense following the crackdown on the gathering.

The mining activities in that region have been in operation since 2005. Following widespread protest from locals, mining was halted for some years, but restarted in April this year and has caused the death of large numbers of fish in Luchu River.

Tibet Times reported another mining incident which took place on May 3. A Chinese mining firm has started mining on private land owned by a Tibetan nomad family in Karchen village in the Kyigudu region of eastern Tibet.

Photo: Tibet Times

The land belongs to a nomad called Lodoe Gyalsten and it was his herding place for summer. It was reported that the land was forcefully taken from him for extraction of gold and black stones; the preparation and planning of the mining has been underway for the last two years. During that time Lodoe Gyaltsen has been making appeals and seeking intervention from the authorities but there has been no response and now the miners have arrived with equipment ready to start extraction. The sources said that there has been no intervention from local officials who, they report, are apparently taking the side of the Chinese miners.

Tibet is still rich in natural resources and is much exploited by Chinese mining firms. Mining takes place in other areas in the Yushu region and is seen to result in the destruction of the natural environment as well as causing harm to local residents’ livestock.