Paris, Sep 3 (IANS) A leading international press freedom organisation has strongly condemned the sweeping restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities on media professionals from accessing vital information regarding the Tibetan region following the devastating flash floods.
Expressing grave concern, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that no independent Tibetan media outlet or international news organisation has been granted access to the disaster-stricken area.
The organisation said this “reflects a long-standing practice of the Chinese regime, which exercises some of the strictest control in the world over media professionals.”
In the aftermath of the disaster, it said, the Chinese authorities have only authorised state media to cover the floods in Tibetan areas, with reports highlighting Beijing’s achievements and successes in relief efforts rather than providing a comprehensive account of the scale and impact of the devastation.
Citing the Chinese state-run newspaper Xinjing Bao (The Beijing News), the authorities have also punished at least ten internet users for “spreading rumours” related to the disaster.
Criticising the restrictions on media coverage, Aleksandra Bielakowska, Head of Advocacy, RSF Asia-Pacific, said that in recent years, under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s leadership, Tibet has become a “de facto information black hole”.
“No independent Tibetan media, nor any international media, are permitted to freely cover news from this autonomous region. The only outlets allowed to operate are those controlled by the state and its propaganda organs, which report on events in according to the guidelines approved by the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department. Under these circumstances, it is virtually impossible to gauge the true scale of the tragedy, as the regime seeks to whitewash its international image and stifle any information that might cast it in an unfavourable light,” Bielakowska stated.
Kalsang Jigme, editor-in-chief of the independent media outlet Tibet Radio, told RSF, “This time, the information control appears to be much tighter, making it extremely difficult for journalists to understand the true scale of the disaster,” comparing the coverage of this disaster to that of similar events in the past.
“I noticed a very high level of censorship and information control inside Tibet. I also tried to reach Tibetans in exile whose families are in the flood-affected areas. Many have been reluctant to share information because they fear that speaking publicly could put their families inside Tibet at risk,” Jigme added.
Referring to information gathered by Tibet Radio, the RSF said that Tibetans living in exile are finding it difficult to contact their relatives in the region. Tibet Radio has independently confirmed that at least 29 Tibetans are believed to have died, higher than China’s official death toll of 16.
The RSF cited Tibetan media outlets, which said that the number of victims on the Tibetan side appears to be significantly underestimated, as they attempt to verify the information amid extremely limited access to reliable sources and information.
The organisation further highlighted widespread censorship on Chinese social media, particularly on the platform WeChat, where references to the floods have been censored or deleted by the authorities.
The massive flood that struck Nepal’s Rasuwa originated in the Tibetan region of China on August 26. It swept through the transboundary Bhote Koshi River, leaving over a thousand dead and causing massive destruction in the Himalayan nation.
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