Tibet closed to foreign visitors
12th June 2012
Chinese authorities have stopped granting permits for overseas visitors to enter Tibet for an unspecified period
Tour operators have been forced to cancel trips to Tibet as Chinese authorities have ceased granting permits for overseas visitors. The permits have been suspended indefinitely, and come in the wake of the first two self-immolations in the Tibetan capital Lhasa late last month.
There have been 38 incidences of Tibetans self-immolating since February 2009 – the 60th anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day when the Dalai Lama went into exile. The majority of these have occurred in ethnically Tibetan regions on the borders of Tibet Autonomous Region, including Sichuan and Qinghai provinces. The self-immolations on the 27th of May were the first to occur in Lhasa itself, and come at a sensitive time during the month-long Buddhist festival of Saga Dawa.
Paul Golding, Campaigns Co-ordinator of the Tibet Society says: "The closure of the Tibet Autonomous Region is a worrying development and an obvious intensification of the Chinese government's efforts to stop information from leaving Tibet about recent protests and the subsequent crackdown.
"Areas banned to tourists and journalists, such as Ngaba and Kardze, have experienced virtual martial law. In the past two weeks the information coming from Lhasa (which is limited due to the cutting and blocking of communication channels) indicates a similar situation exists there now as well."
Although foreigners are currently unable to visit Tibet, it is still open to Chinese nationals. Tourism is an important source of revenue for the region which boasts 4,277 major cultural heritage sites, most of which are monasteries. Potala Palace, one of the most famous monuments was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The number of visitors to the site has steadily been increasing, and Tibetan tourism authorities are aiming to attract a further five million people by 2015.
For foreign travellers, the question of whether to visit Tibet can be a difficult one. The Tibet Society's perspective is to "follow the Dalai Lama's advice, which is to go to Tibet, but go with your eyes open." Their advice for travellers who want to visit Tibet and get their own perspective is to, "support Tibetan-run businesses and use Tibetan tour guides where possible."
"One of the main points to be aware of when visiting Tibet, is to not engage in political discussions with Tibetans in public. Chinese security are everywhere and Tibetans who are seen to be talking to foreigners about the Dalai Lama, protests or China's occupation are likely to be arrested. Even possession of a photograph of the Dalai Lama is liable to land Tibetans in trouble."
There is no official reason given for the ban to overseas visitors, but over recent years the tendency to prevent foreigners from visiting the region has coincided with important Buddhist festivals and with the anniversaries of periods of unrest. In 2008 there was widespread unrest which escalated into full blown riots around Tibetan Uprising Day.
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