Tibet's Communist Party chief announces new media crackdown to prevent "reactionary propaganda" from reaching the population. For him, the Buddhist leader's words must disappear. Hence, satellite dishes will be seized.

Lhasa (AsiaNews/Agencies) - China has launched a new campaign in Tibet against those who cause and encourage unrest. To achieve this goal, the authorities want to silence the Dalai Lama, head of Tibetan Buddhism who is in exile in India. In their view, his "propaganda" should be blocked on the Internet, television and all other means of communication, said Tibet's party chief Chen Quanguo writing in the influential magazine Qiushi, whose name means 'seeking truth'.

In order to ensure that only the official voice is heard in the region, the government must "Strike hard against the reactionary propaganda of the splittists from entering Tibet," Chen said.

To achieve this goal, the authorities plan to seize illegal satellite dishes, and increase monitoring of online content, making sure all telephone and Internet users are registered under their real names.

The Dalai Lama is the main target. "Work hard to ensure that the voice and image of the party is heard and seen over the vast expanses [of Tibet]," Chen said, "and that the voice and image of the enemy forces and the Dalai clique are neither seen nor heard,"

For China, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama is a "wolf in sheep's clothing" who encourages the use of violent methods to establish an independent Tibet.

Conversely, the Dalai Lama has made it abundantly clear that he simply wants genuine cultural and religious autonomy for ethnic Tibetans.

 

• china
• tibet
• colonialism
• imperialism
• occupation
• invasion
• internet
• crackdown
• media