Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Condemns Douyin’s Ban on Tibetan Language
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) in Dharamshala has strongly condemned the decision by the Chinese social media platform Douyin to ban all content in the Tibetan language. This move has raised concerns among Tibetans both in Tibet and around the world.
Impact on Tibetan Netizens
TCHRD Director Tenzin Dawa explained that the ban has made it impossible for Tibetan netizens to create content and make a living from these platforms. She noted that several videos have surfaced showing Tibetan netizens expressing their discontent over the ban.
Legal Concerns
Tenzin Dawa questioned the legality of the ban, pointing out that the Chinese constitution guarantees minority people the right to speak their language. She mentioned that Tibetans are even willing to pay the company to continue creating content in Tibetan.
Broader Implications
Douyin is not the only platform to impose such a ban. Other platforms like Bilibili and Talkmate have also banned the Tibetan language for years. Tenzin Dawa highlighted that this is part of a broader trend under Xi Jinping’s administration to assimilate and eradicate Tibetan language and culture.
Conclusion
The TCHRD has expressed serious concerns about the shrinking space for Tibetans to express their language and culture, both online and offline.
Doubts Revealed
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) -: TCHRD is an organization that works to protect the human rights and promote democracy for Tibetan people. It is based in Dharamshala, India.
Douyin -: Douyin is a popular Chinese social media platform, similar to TikTok, where people can share short videos.
Tibetan language -: The Tibetan language is the native language spoken by the Tibetan people, who live mainly in Tibet, a region in China.
Tenzin Dawa -: Tenzin Dawa is the Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. She speaks out on issues affecting Tibetan people.
Chinese constitution -: The Chinese constitution is the set of laws that govern China. It includes rules about protecting the rights of minority languages like Tibetan.
Bilibili -: Bilibili is another Chinese social media platform where people can share videos, similar to YouTube.
Talkmate -: Talkmate is a language learning platform that helps people learn different languages, including minority languages.
Xi Jinping -: Xi Jinping is the current President of China. His administration has been known for strict control over many aspects of Chinese society, including the internet.
Dharamshala -: Dharamshala is a city in India where many Tibetan people, including the Dalai Lama, live in exile.
Netizens -: Netizens are people who use the internet, especially those who are active on social media platforms.
