▲ Search and rescue operations in Tibet, China
Amid a catastrophic flood along the border of Nepal and China that left thousands dead or missing, allegations have emerged that Chinese authorities are downplaying and concealing the scale of damage in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Critics pointed out that related videos and photos are being subjected to extremely strict online censorship, while Chinese authorities have quickly moved to tighten control by publicizing cases of punishment for spreading rumors.
According to the UK's Guardian, the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) stated through sources that the actual number of casualties from this disaster is higher than the figures announced by Chinese authorities, and that at least 300 houses have been destroyed.
Previously, Chinese authorities announced that as of August 29, regarding the debris flow damage in Gyirong County, Xigaze, Tibet, the death toll stood at 16, with 546 people missing (including 261 foreign nationals).
They also stated that 27 buildings and ancillary facilities collapsed across an area of approximately 0.7 square kilometers.
Tencho Gyatso, president of the ICT, told the Guardian, "What is seen in Nepal reveals what is being covered up in Tibet," adding, "Four villages including Salhey, Sertrung, Labi, and Liji are among the hardest hit, with about 300 houses reportedly destroyed and many people still missing."
She further noted that based on the extremely sparse information collectible locally, the number of victims appears to be far greater than announced by Chinese authorities.
The Guardian pointed out that within China, aside from official reports by state media, unofficial information regarding the scale of the disaster and the subsequent situation is rarely transmitted.
Human rights groups also pointed out a stark difference in the amount of information disclosed on both sides of the border between China and Nepal.
Maya Wang of the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, "The Chinese government instinctively always tries to control the situation and maintain the narrative that they are a highly efficient government."
In particular, while horrific scene photos, videos, and testimonies of disasters spread rapidly online anywhere in the world, those in Tibet appear to be strictly censored by Chinese authorities.
The UK broadcaster BBC pointed out that videos capturing the disaster site were rarely seen on China's heavily censored internet.
The media outlet explained, "Foreign journalists cannot enter Tibet without permission from the Chinese government," adding, "When such a major incident occurs, you must secure as much information as possible within just a few hours before videos are scrubbed from the internet."
Otherwise, people have no choice but to rely on state media reports, which focus more on rescue operations than on the reality of the tragedy.
The BBC pointed out that in a video released by Chinese state media on the 29th, rescue workers could be seen wandering through a devastated landscape covered in mud and rocks, shouting toward trapped individuals, but there were no images from during or immediately after the casualties occurred.
It added that the voices of survivors and the stories of families desperately searching for missing persons were also not conveyed.
During a regular briefing on the 31st of last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded to allegations that China censored disaster videos and underreported the number of missing persons, stating, "The Chinese side has been releasing information in a transparent and timely manner," and adding, "Acts of maliciously smearing and inciting against China by exploiting the disaster will not win the support of the people."
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities promptly publicized news of punishments against individuals who spread so-called fake news online.
Public security organs in Tibet announced on the 31st of last month that administrative punishments were imposed on 10 internet users who spread rumors such as "more than 3,000 people have already died on the Chinese side" and "thousands of people lost their lives in an instant."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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