Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the World: China intensifies measures against Tibetans during holy month, Indigenous people, NGO create rainforest wildlife corridor in Australia, First Nation in Canada receives $590,000 for 1906 land dispute settlement and the New Zealand district council urges the government to reconsider Māori wards.
CHINA: Intensifies measures against Tibetans during holy month
According to four sources, Chinese authorities have instructed Tibetan students, government workers, and retirees to refrain from participating in religious activities in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, during the Buddhist holy month of Saga Dawa. Radio Free Asia reported on May 28.
The Saga Dawa festival takes place during the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, running from May 9 to June 6 this year. For Tibetan Buddhists, it marks the period of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana — the state entered after death by someone who has attained nirvana during their lifetime.
During this holy month, thousands of religious pilgrims visit temples and walk sacred kora routes around Lingkhor and Barkhor streets in Lhasa, encircling the revered Jokhang Temple. The ritual kora — making a circumambulation around sacred sites or objects as part of a pilgrimage — holds immense significance for Tibetan Buddhists, who believe that virtuous deeds performed during Saga Dawa are magnified based on their location.
A video obtained by Radio Free Asia showed heavy police presence surrounding the Barkhor area — the heart of the capital with its famed pilgrimage circuit — on May 22, the eve of the 15th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, considered one of the holiest days during Saga Dawa. Since the start of Saga Dawa, Chinese police have tightened security around key religious sites, including Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and the Barkhor area, according to Radio Free Asia.
The measures illustrate the deterioration of religious freedom in Tibet under the Chinese government’s suppression and Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism — a policy that seeks to bring the religion under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.
While devotees were seen on pilgrimage on other days of Saga Dawa, the 15th day on May 23 saw heightened restrictions, with police stationed along the pathways leading to the Sera, Gandhen, and Drepung monasteries, said the sources who declined to be named out of fear of retribution by authorities.
“There isn’t any place where you don’t see police and interrogation stations,” one of the sources said, according to Radio Free Asia.
In a government notice dated May 16, the Pulan County Public Security Bureau in Talqin said the use of drones and other aircraft during the Saga Dawa flag-raising festival was prohibited and that violators would be punished. Tibetans who attended the event were subjected to extensive questioning and coerced into agreeing to uphold social order and refrain from causing discord, said one of the sources, according to Radio Free Asia.
He said that police instructed people not to share photos or videos of the festival on social media.
AUSTRALIA: Indigenous people, NGO create rainforest wildlife corridor
The environmental charity Climate Force is partnering with the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people and rangers to establish a wildlife corridor connecting two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Australia: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. Mongabay reported on May 31.
Wildlife habitats here are fragmented by industrial agriculture, and a forested corridor aims to protect biodiversity by allowing animals to forage for food and link populations for mating and migration.
Indigenous ranger Jason Petersen recalls watching the world’s oldest rainforest in awe as a child. When the rain arrived, they would wash the dust from the trees, revealing the lush colors of the forest. Now, as an adult, he hopes his son will experience the same wonder as he helps plant a new wildlife corridor on this land.
“I hope [our children] will be able to start seeing a positive change. Once the movement of the animals starts from up in the mountains and down into the riparian areas, it will be immense,” Petersen said, according to Mongabay.
In Australia’s Cape Kimberley, environmental charity Climate Force is partnering with the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people and rangers to create a corridor that runs between two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. To achieve this, they will need to plant 360,000 trees.
Wildlife habitats in this region have become fragmented. The area where the new forest will be planted is a 213-hectare (526-acre) plot of land that was cleared for cattle in the 1960s and then used as a commercial banana farm until the 1990s. It was overrun with invasive Guinea grass and littered with abandoned farm machinery.
“For a good while now, our Country [Indigenous land] has been bare,” Petersen said, according to Mongabay.
The fragmentation of forests leads to a loss of diversity and a decline in species. However, strips of land that make up wildlife corridors can help connect wildlife populations, ensuring they can forage for food, connect different populations for mating, and fulfill other migratory needs, say conservationists. In December 2022, the U.N. biodiversity framework recognized ecological corridors as an important conservation measure alongside protected areas.
For the Daintree Rainforest, conservationists say a wildlife corridor will help protect endemic Bennett’s tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus bennettianus), spectacled flying foxes (Pteropus conspicillatus), and southern cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius), the closest living species to dinosaurs.
Conservationist Barney Swan, founder of Climate Force, raised $2.5 million to buy abandoned farmland in 2021 and launch the Tropical ReGen project. Funds were also used to develop a digital twin of the forest to support the reforestation project.
“A lot of the wildlife use this [wildlife corridor] as a highway, and they haven’t been able to get through because of the grass and the fences,” Swan said, according to Mongabay. “If we get it right, it can support hundreds of thousands of acres of land [in the Daintree Rainforest] because it’s so significant.”
To make the project a success, Indigenous rangers and the Climate Force team say they’re working closely together on planting days. Some of the trees grown in Climate Force’s nursery sprouted from seeds that the organization and rangers collected together.
“They shared what mulch to use and which trees can grow quickly to create a canopy, and that only comes from experience,” Petersen says, according to Mongabay.
CANADA: First Nation receives $590,000 for 1906 land dispute settlement
Matachewan First Nation in northeastern Ontario will add 4,572 acres to its reserve after settling a land claim with the Ontario government dating back to 1906. CBC News reported on May 31.
The community, situated about 59 kilometers west of Kirkland Lake, will also be awarded $590,000 from the province as part of the land entitlement claim under Treaty 9.
In 2019, Matachewan secured an agreement with the federal government, which included $16 million in compensation.
Matachewan Chief Alex ‘Sonny’ Batisse told CBC News it was a lengthy process to achieve a settlement with both levels of government.
“I’m pretty much overwhelmed myself because I practically started it in 2013 and then finished it,” he said.
Cathy Yandeau, Matachewan’s lands and resources coordinator, said the land settlement will reconnect the community to the Montreal River, a traditional travel route.
“I think it’s going to benefit the community by allowing it to prosper and grow in many ways, like economically and in social well-being,” she said. “It is progressing beautifully and is nearing completion.”
Yandeau added that she’s personally proud the settlement was achieved and believes it will particularly benefit her children and grandchildren.
NEW ZEALAND: District council urges government to reconsider Māori wards
Andy Watson, Rangitīkei Mayor, says forcing councils to hold referendums on Māori wards will create division and unnecessary costs for ratepayers. New Zealand Herald reported on May 27.
Watson believes it would cause more harm than good if the coalition government rescinded the law permitting councils to decide on Māori wards.
“We previously determined that these are the best representation arrangements for our entire community, and it is proving true,” Watson said. “The knowledge and perspective provided at the council table are a taonga, and we think the government revisiting this issue will create more division.”
The coalition government’s Māori wards legislation passed its first reading last week. The law mandates councils to eliminate Māori wards established without a referendum or hold a binding poll in the 2025 elections on whether to retain the wards.
Watson mentioned that since the introduction of its two Māori wards, Tiikeitia ki Tai (Coastal) and Tiikeitia ki Uta (Inland), Rangitīkei District Council had gained valuable input and information at the council table.
“We believe that Māori wards have benefited not only Māori and local iwi but also the broader community. If this legislation is enacted, we’ll be forced to conduct a referendum on our Māori wards.”
The council is urging the government to reconsider. It argued that a referendum would survey the entire community, not just those on the Māori electoral roll who are directly affected.
“This is an overreach by the Government, which claims it wants to delegate more responsibility to councils,” Watson said.
The council has invited Local Government Minister Simeon Brown to Rangitīkei to meet with its Māori ward representatives and the full council to discuss the proposed legislation.
Tiikeitia Ki Uta Māori ward councilor Piki Te Ora Hiroa stated that the introduction of Māori wards this term was a positive step towards helping all councils work towards being better treaty partners.
“Embracing diversity and recognizing the skills, talents, relationships, and perspectives from a Te Ao Māori viewpoint strengthens our decision-making processes,” Hiroa said. “As a Ngāti, I am proud to carry my whānau, hapū, and iwi into a space once dominated by one culture.”
Tiikeitia ki Tai councilor Coral Raukawa said Māori wards helped foster cultural understanding, promote reconciliation, and strengthen the relationship between local government and Māori communities, “as it has done for the Rangitīkei District Council.”
“And holding a referendum on something already established and working is another burden on the ratepayers,” Raukawa said.
The Rangitīkei council also opposed the proposed changes to Māori wards in a joint letter last week by Local Government New Zealand, signed by 52 mayors, chairs, and the co-chairs of Te Maruata, which represents Māori elected members.
Brown has previously said that requiring referendums on Māori wards would restore the rights of communities to have a say in their governance arrangements.
My final thoughts
The recent directive by Chinese authorities instructing Tibetan students, government workers, and retirees to refrain from engaging in religious activities in Lhasa during the Buddhist holy month of Saga Dawa raises profound concerns about religious freedom and cultural rights. This action stands as a stark infringement on the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people and poses a significant threat to their rich cultural and religious heritage.
This directive represents a blatant violation of the right to freedom of religion, a fundamental liberty enshrined in numerous international human rights frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory.
The freedom to practice one’s religion without interference is a cornerstone of human dignity and personal liberty, and any attempt to curtail this right must be met with unequivocal condemnation.
Moreover, this restriction is indicative of a broader, troubling pattern of cultural suppression aimed at eroding Tibetan identity and traditions. Saga Dawa is a deeply significant period for Tibetan Buddhists, marking the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Preventing participation in these sacred activities is not merely an administrative act; it is an assault on the very heart of Tibetan cultural and spiritual life.
The suppression of these practices threatens to obliterate centuries-old traditions and knowledge, effectively erasing an essential part of human cultural heritage.
The psychological impact of such prohibitions cannot be overstated. Forcing individuals to abandon their spiritual practices disrupts their sense of identity and community, leading to feelings of alienation and distress.
In response to this egregious violation, it is imperative to propose a constructive path forward. Dialogue and engagement between Chinese authorities and Tibetan religious and community leaders are essential to finding a mutually respectful solution that acknowledges and preserves Tibetan religious practices while addressing any legitimate concerns the government may have. Open and honest communication can pave the way for understanding and cooperation.
The international community must also play a crucial role in addressing this issue. Governments, human rights organizations, and the United Nations should exert pressure on China to respect the religious freedoms of the Tibetan people. Diplomatic channels and international forums should be leveraged to highlight this grave injustice and advocate for the protection of religious and cultural rights.
Furthermore, Tibetan advocates should be encouraged to seek legal recourse through international human rights courts and organizations, documenting and reporting these violations to build a case for international intervention and support.
Promoting cultural exchange programs that highlight Tibetan culture and religion can foster a greater understanding and appreciation of Tibetan heritage globally, galvanizing international support for the protection of these rights.
It is our collective responsibility to stand in solidarity with the Tibetan people and ensure that their voices are heard and their rights are upheld.
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