Rewards Given to Tibetans for Reporting on their Fellow Tibetans

By Staff Reporter / July 13, 2022;

The Lhasa Municipality Public Security Bureau has circulated a notice offering rewards for Tibetans reporting on crimes “against state security” in order to “build an iron wall of stability”, reports the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), a Washington-based advocacy group, saying this initiative was issued ahead of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6.

The 12 point notice, written in Chinese and dated July 4, stated that the reward for reporting on the any of crimes listed in the notice will be up to 300,000 Chinese Yuan [$45,000/ £38,000], providing a financial incentive to Tibetans to comply with the order.

While most of the points listed are vague and generic, they provide scope for any Tibetan activism, including online activities connecting with exiled Tibetans, listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings or reading books related to his teachings, to be considered a criminal act. In addition, point 7 clearly states that any form of spreading information about “Tibet Independence” is considered a criminal act.

ICT have said that they are deeply concerned about the measures. Their press release states, “The Chinese authorities in Tibet are using tactics to turn Tibetans against each other by creating further fear and distrust among families, friends and neighbours. These rewards represent measures of a totalitarian system, deeply affecting the lives of Tibetans and criminalising peaceful dissent and activities that are protected by international law”.

ICT has provided the following translation of the notice, detailing the scope of reporting on “illegal activities and crimes”:

Illegal and criminal clues that spread rumours, defame and slander the state power and the socialist system, and endanger national sovereignty.
Illegal and criminal clues on publishing and disseminating harmful remarks, publications, audio and video materials, undermining ethnic unity, creating ethnic division, inciting ethnic hatred and undermining national unity.
Illegal and criminal clues of collusion with overseas institutions, organisations and individuals, stealing, spying on, selling and illegally providing state secrets or intelligence.
Illegal and criminal clues that use the name of religion to endanger national security, collude with foreign forces to interfere in domestic religious affairs, distort religious teachings, or use other methods to incite and advocate violence and other extremist and ethnic discrimination ideas.
Illegal and criminal clues of funding or assisting hostile forces or other organisations or individuals to endanger national security.
Illegal and criminal clues of making, selling, distributing, listening to, reading, storing publications that promote terrorism, extremist publications, audio and video materials or other items, hoarding or wearing flags, clothing, utensils, souvenirs, etc containing terrorism and extremism contents, financing terrorist activities and separatist sabotage activities.
Illegal and criminal clues that use the Internet to create and spread rumours, or publish or spread incitement to harmful speeches that endanger political security and social stability, download, produce, disseminate and store anti-propaganda information through the Internet or mobile phones, mobile storage media, e-readers, etc; and gathering the crowd to preach and spread the idea of “Tibet independence”.
Illegal and criminal clues that use the power of family and clan to run rampant in villages, oppress the masses, control grass-roots political power, manipulate and interfere with grass-roots public affairs and interfere with and undermine rural governance and social stability.
Illegal and criminal clues of illegal operation, transportation, trading, storage of explosive, flammable, toxic, corrosive hazardous chemicals and sales, storage, and provision of hazardous chemicals, and selling, storing and providing scattered gasoline and diesel in violation of the “Administrative Measures for the Sales of Fragmented Oil Products in the Tibet Autonomous Region” (Order No 117 of the People’s Government of the Autonomous Region).
Illegal and criminal clues on venting anger or taking revenge on society, prepare clues to commit extremist violent crimes such as murder, injury, arson, explosion, poisoning, etc.
Illegal and criminal clues of illegally manufacturing, trading, transporting, mailing, storing and possession of guns (including parts), ammunition, explosives, dangerous chemicals and controlled knives.
Other various illegal and criminal acts that seriously affect the people’s sense of security.