China demolishes monks' houses at Tibet's largest Buddhist institute
On July 20, Chinese authorities began dismantling some structures in the Buddhist research center and residential area of Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, located in the Larung Valley, Tibet. In fact, the demolition was scheduled for July 25, but the Chinese government started it five days early.
According to RFA, an anonymous monk said: “The demolition of the Larung Gar Tibetan Buddhist Academy began at 8 a.m., starting with the buildings where the government did not allow residents to stay.”
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The houses in the Buddhist Academy area are just ruins. Photo: RFA. |
Larung Gar Academy leaders called on monks and nuns not to resist the government's actions. So the work is still going on without any resistance.
On June 8, the Chinese government announced plans to reduce the population of the site. Currently, the academy has about 10,000 permanent residents, and the number of temporary residents could be closer to 40,000. The demolition is part of a government-ordered campaign to reduce the population to 5,000 by September 2017. Already, 60-70% of the buildings have been marked for demolition.
The Chinese government has expressed concern over the rapidly growing population of the academy, which has led to safety and fire issues. In fact, the demolition order was issued in 2001, when local authorities evicted thousands of monks and nuns and forced the relocation of more than 1,000 homes in Larung Gar. However, despite fierce opposition from the public, the academy has remained intact and continues to thrive to this day.
“A dark future hangs over us. Now all we have left is sadness and suffering,” said one monk. “I don’t know how many buildings have been demolished because we are not even allowed to go near them.”
Located in the middle of the Larung Valley on the Tibetan Plateau, 15 km from the town of Sertar, Larung Gar Buddhist Academy is the world's largest and most influential Buddhist center. The academy has been closed to foreign visitors since June 16.
Previously, Langrung Gar and the Buddhist Academy were a sensitive site and foreign visitors were not allowed to enter. However, since 2011, Sertar and Larung Gar have been open to all visitors from all over the world. Since then, it has become an attractive tourist destination and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. |
According to VNE
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