In recent years, mining across the resource-rich Tibetan Plateau, industrialisation and dams being built across Tibet’s many rivers have caused huge damage to Tibet’s environment and ecology. At the same time, the Chinese government is forcibly recolating tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Tibetan nomads- moving them off their traditional land and into tightly packed tenement housing in a bid to keep them under control. The nomads’ environmentally sustainable lifestyle has helped keep the plateau healthy for centuries; now Chinese policies are putting it under threat while nomads themselves are finding that their agricultural skills are useless in an urban environment and are falling into poverty.
A nomadic family with a traditional tent and the vast Tibetan plateau
Heavy mining in Tibet and protests against mining meeting harsh crackdowns
In 2011, SFT UK held our first environmental conference, Pure Earths, where we invited some of the world’s leading experts on the Tibetan plateau to speak about Tibet’s environment, nomads, climate change and the effects of mining, deforestation and other rapdid industrial development. And later that year, SFT launched the Nomad Rights campaign to focus attention on the plight of Tibetan nomads and call for action to protect their ancient and sustainable lifestyle.
More about the plight of nomads
Inside Tibet, Tibetans are stepping up to oppose the Chinese state’s callous destruction of the plateau, at great risk to themselves. In 2009 and 2010, protests against new mines and against polluting factories on the plateau met with the regime’s common response; harsh crackdowns. In February 2011, 15 Tibetans were sentenced for their part in a protest against a state-run mine in Tamo near Shigatse in November 2010. During that protest and another similar incident in June 2010, the protesters were beaten by riot police, and the whereabouts of some of those detained are still unknown. But protests like these can be successful, such as a case in 2009 where local Tibetans protested against a mine at the sacred Ser Ngol Lo site, persuading the authorities to back down. And in 2011, villagers in Maisu even took the drastic step of sabotaging the chainsaws being used by Chinese loggers to fell trees and set up checkpoint huts to be manned at all times, refusing logging trucks entry to the forest.
A woman in nomadic dress (photo: Falsalama) and railway construction in Tibet.
Most of the mining in Tibet is now state-controlled, showing how important Tibet’s natural resources are in fueling China’s booming industrial economy. Minerals are moved out of Tibet via the Gormo-Lhasa railway and other means, while Tibetans are forced off the land to make way for such mines, slowly ending the environmentally sustainable nomadic way of life forever. It doesn’t need to be this way; Tibet’s environment has heroes, like Karma Samdrup and his brothers. All three are serving prison terms for criticising the government’s attitudes to the Tibetan environment, while high profile figures like Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche have also been silenced when they have attempted to protect the environment. But as the mining protests demonstrate, the silencing of Tibetans has not been successful, and the need to do so illustrates that the Tibetan people are passionate about protecting their country. Just like China’s occupation of Tibet, their treatment of the Tibetan plateau is not sustainable.
Karma Samdrup and nomads bringing horses to town.
Read more about SFT’s environmental campaign:
Stop Mining Tibet
Under Chinese occupation, Tibetans have no voice to determine the use of their own natural resources. Mining in this context poses a serious threat to the Tibetan people, their culture and the environment. Join the global effort to get the following mining companies to immediately withdraw from Tibet.
Click above for the pdf of the ‘Stop Mining in Tibet’ postcard which you can print and send!
Tibet 3rd Pole
Tibet Third Pole is a coalition of various Tibet Support Groups (including SFT) and individuals concerned with environmental issues affecting Tibet.
Stop Climate Chaos
The UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action on climate change and limiting its impact on the world’s poorest communities. A combined supporter base of *more than 11 million* people spans over 100 organisations (including SFT UK).
Read more about Tibet’s environment
SFT’s 2011 environment report ‘Roof of the World’ goes into greater detail about the threats to the Tibetan plateau.
Click here for the low res version
Right-click and ‘save link as’ to download the full res pdf
Past campaign actions
SFT UK has taken part in some high profile campaigns and actions to expose China’s destruction of the Tibetan plateau and challenge companies which are complicit. Our aim is to make the occupation of Tibet too costly for the Chinese government, in various ways. The Reject the Railway campaign action was an example of this.
Top photo nomad on horse by Jim McGill photography
SFT UK is run by volunteers who use our own resources. You can help us grow by becoming an SFT UK Guardian for a political prisoner of your choice and help us campaign not just now but all year, every year until Tibet is free.
