Beijing [China] April 2 : China is assigning military veterans as "on-campus instructors" in schools throughout Tibet, aiming to provide military and political training to children as young as six, according to sources within Tibet who are confirming state media reports about this new initiative, as reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA).
This action intends to cultivate loyalty toward the Chinese government from an early age, a strategy that experts suggest indicates a heightened effort by Beijing to assimilate and diminish Tibetan identity, as noted by RFA.
The RFA report pointed out that segments from state-run television depict Tibetan students in military uniforms, parading while raising the Chinese flag and following instructor orders in formation. Additional footage shows children practising air raid drills by ducking under their desks and evacuating with their notebooks over their heads as protection from falling debris.
Military personnel are being assigned to schools in various locations including Lhasa, Chamdo, and Nagchu within the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), as well as in Ngaba and Kyungchu counties in Sichuan province, Sangchu county in Gansu province, and additional areas in Qinghai province, according to RFA.
The newly established system aims to ensure that "national defence education takes root from early childhood" and prepares Tibetan youth for potential military service, which authorities claim creates a "new win-win situation for veterans' services and the ideological and political education of youth," as stated by state media reports cited by RFA.
Experts assert that the growing presence of uniformed military personnel in various primary and middle schools across Tibet is a consequence of the recently revised National Defence Education Law, approved by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, China's highest legislative authority, which took effect in September 2024 as referenced by RFA.
The Tibet-China conflict arises from the political situation surrounding Tibet and China's governance of the region. Historically, Tibet was an independent entity but became part of China in 1951 following military occupation. Tibetans, led by the Dalai Lama, have been advocating for increased autonomy and the protection of their cultural, religious, and political rights. Conversely, the Chinese government considers Tibet an integral part of its territory. This conflict has resulted in protests, suppression of culture, and persistent tensions regarding human rights and autonomy.