rights, as the Tibetan language – one of Asia's four oldest and most original languages – is fundamental to Tibetan identity, culture and religion. China’s Constitution and Law on Regional National Autonomy in fact recognizes the right of ethnic minority groups to use and develop their own language. Despite these legal protections, Tibetans who express concerns about Chinese language policies are accused of “inciting separatism” and face severe consequences. A prominent example is that of Tashi Wangchuk, a businessman from Yushu, Qinghai, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison in May 2018 for his advocacy for Tibetan-language education.4 More recently, Sonam Palden, a 22-year-old monk was detained in Ngaba County town and has been held incommunicado since 19 September for posting critical views of China’s language policy on his WeChat account.5 Given these developments, there is reason for grave concern about the future of the Tibetan language, with particular respect to the protection of the right of Tibetans to use their own language in legal, administrative and judicial fields or in work environments, and their right to ensure the survival of the Tibetan language for future generations. We would therefore like to call on China to adopt a genuine and legally consistent minority education policy. We also recommend government support for polices that fund Tibetan textbook translation, bilingual teacher training, culturally and regionally defined curricula, and viable career pathways for minority-language graduates. Thank you. - END ** ** *** About IC T Founded in 1988, and with offices in Washington DC, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels, the International Campaign for Tibet works to promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet. International Campaign for Tibet 1825 Jefferson Place NW Washington D.C., 20036 United States of America www.savetibet.org info@savetibet.org 4 A Tibetan Tried to Save His Language. China Handed Him 5 Years in Prison., The New York Times, 22 May 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/22/world/asia/tibetan-activist-tashi-wangchuk-sentenced.html. 5 Monk detained for criticizing China’s policy on Tibetan language at high risk of torture, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, 11 November 2019, https://tchrd.org/monk-detained-for-criticising-chinas-policy-on-tibetan-language-athigh-risk-of-torture/. 2/2