A 29-year-old Tibetan environmental activist from Ngaba is currently detained after releasing a viral video on Chinese social media. The video exposed illegal sand and gravel mining in his hometown of Tsaruma, highlighting severe ecological damage and corporate negligence by Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company. This mining has caused soil erosion and threatens water security in major Asian rivers like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

Local authorities summoned the whistle-blower and other villagers on October 26, but while the villagers returned home, the whistle-blower remains missing. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has expressed concern for his safety, noting the increasing persecution of Tibetan environmental defenders.

This case highlights the environmental challenges in Tibet under Chinese administration and the difficulties faced by those advocating for ecological preservation. The rapid censorship of the video on Chinese social media underscores the sensitive nature of environmental activism in the region.

The international community is urged to advocate for the whistle-blower’s release and address broader environmental issues in Tibet, where climate change, resource overexploitation, and human activities threaten biodiversity, including species like the Tibetan antelope and snow leopard.

Source: ANI