Nomadic lifestyle under threat |
Resettlement policies threaten the survival of Tibetan nomads
In March 1998 Qi Jingfa, then
The policy is having a disastrous impact on Tibetan herders’ ability to maintain their traditional livelihoods and on a distinctive form of Tibetan cultural identity. It also threatens potentially ruinous consequences for the Tibetan Plateau, and consequently for billions of people living in the Indian sub-continent, as Tibet houses the sources of Asia's major rivers, and scientists state that if open mining continues in the current vein, disasterous effects could be felt across the region.
Yushu horse festival pictures by Vincent Van Den Berg: www.vincentvandenberg.net
In 1999
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A key feature of the WDS has been the confiscation of agricultural and pastoral lands and the forced relocation of nomads to make way for mining and infrastructure projects. |
The numbers of nomads being forcibly relocated away from their ancestral lands are vast: according to official Chinese media reports for just the “Three River Areas” in
Nomadic Pastoralism: a highly evolved, sustainable culture
For more than 4000 years nomads have grazed herds of yaks and mountain sheep over the vast grasslands of The herds are intrinsically tied up with both the identity of the nomads and their very survival in the harsh, high-altitude environment of the Tibetan Plateau: the animals provide not only meat and milk, but their skins are dried and used to insulate tents.
Dung is also dried and used to heat the tents and provide fuel for cooking. And wool and fur from the animals are used to clothe the nomads.
Tibetan Experiences of forced resettlement
Government policy regarding the forced settlement of nomads varies enormously throughout the Tibetan Plateau. In certain areas, predominantly the TAR, policy has generally sought to relocate nomads from one plot of land to a more fenced in plot of land whilst staying within the grassland areas. The government has also implemented its “Comfortable Housing Project” which involves the forcible implementation of so-called improvements on existing plots of land or dwellings.
Even where the nomads are not being relocated from the grasslands altogether into urban areas, the resettlement policy is unpopular and expensive. One nomad from Tsaba village in Ngachu county in the TAR told Free Tibet:
| “Tsaba village has about 60 households for nomads and, starting five years ago, the government lends money for the compulsory building of about 12 new houses….In 2008 it was my family’s turn to rebuild our house. Our house was in the smallest category and we were to receive 8000 Chinese yuan. But in fact the government only gave us wood, bricks and cement worth 2500 yuan and gave us a deadline for finishing the new house…..Our house was completely rebuilt by early 2009 but when we asked for the rest of the monetary aid we were simply told that the government was facing recession and would pay the rest the following year….It is hard to understand why the Chinese government wants us to demolish our houses and then rebuild them. It is simply an extra load of work for us." |
Click here for more on Tibetan rural culture
Click here for an article on the forced resettlement of Uighur Muslims
Click here for more on the economy and environment of Tibet
Click here for information on protests against resettlement in Tawu, May 2009
Read in depth information about the lives of nomads and how the Chinese government is putting this ancient and unique lifestyle at great risk by persuing its policy to force almost one million nomads to resettle by 2011. | Free Tibet has gathered testimony from nomads who have been forcibly resettled. Here, a nomad named Tenzin talks at length about how forced resettlement has affected her and how she longs to return to the plateau. |
Find out more about Tibetan nomads and how their lifestyle is being put under threat by forced resettlement. Read the full story about why Tibet's nomads are vital to the plateau. | Help fund our nomadic campaign by adopting a virtual yak for £3, which will be added to our virtual plateau. You can decorate your yak as nomads do, and help us fill the plateau just as it should be in Tibet! |









