Supporters of exiled Dalai Lama target of fresh Tibet repression
Supporters of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, have been included in an anti-crime blacklist read out at schools, airports and public squares as the country prepares to celebrate the Buddhist new year festival.
The list of criminal targets – issued by the Chineserun nation’s public security bureau and called “21 kinds of dark and evil forces” – lists “individuals associated with the Dalai Lama clique” among those considered to be a threat to society.
Slightly further down the list were people described as “Protecting the Mother Tongue” – those seeking to preserve the Tibetan language.
These targets are part of a new campaign against alleged organised crime that expands the range of people law enforcement officials can take into custody in the name of preserving peace and order.
Analysts say the crackdown will help Chinese president Xi Jinping win political support in village, county and other lower-level jurisdictions. That could boost his legitimacy as he prepares to rule the country indefinitely following a surprise move to abolish presidential term limits.
More than 10,000 people were seized within a month of the crackdown starting in late January. Its wide scope has raised concerns it will be used to ensnare political opponents of the ruling Communist Party and that police will have wide leeway to apprehend anyone they consider a troublemaker.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that while previous campaigns against organised crime have focused on “social security”, the latest drive aims to “strengthen political power at the grassroots level”. In some jurisdictions, particularly in rural areas, governments and industries are controlled by gangs.
The high-profile initiative encourages local authorities to go after “soft forces” – a reference to non-violent behaviour that the government nevertheless views as a threat to “political security”.
Legal experts and rights groups said the political focus was troubling.
“Police are given too much power to handle cases at their own discretion, which is in violation of human rights,” said He Weifang, a lawyer who has advocated judicial reforms. “People worry that the crackdown on ordinary crimes will turn into ideological and political repression,” he said.
He noted that non-profit groups with connections to the West, rights lawyers and some critical online commentators have been accused of threatening political stability.
In addition to Tibetan activists, announcements have targeted Xinjiang “separatists”, people with complaints about medical malpractice, and organisers of people who petition government agencies over grievances.
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