The groups argue the Unesco designation will allow Chinese authorities
to remove residents from the area, known as Hoh Xil in Qinghai province,
and threaten its environment and nomadic culture.
“The (Unesco) Committee ignored the reality that Tibetans, and nomads in
particular, are stewards of the landscape whose role is essential to
sustaining the wildlife,” said Kai Mueller, executive director of the
International Campaign for Tibet.
The area has an elevation of more than 4,500 metres (14,764 feet) and is
home to several endemic species as well as the entire migratory route
of the endangered Tibetan antelope.
The designation of protected areas does not give Unesco any powers of
enforcement, but has proved to be controversial in areas plagued by
conflicting territorial claims.
On Friday, Unesco also designated an ancient shrine in the occupied West
Bank, revered by both Jews and Muslims, as a “Palestinian World
Heritage Site in Danger”, angering Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu who called the decision “delusional”.
The Tibetan rights groups argue the Unesco designation could accelerate Chinese efforts to move nomads into settled villages.
“Unesco is supposed to uphold and safeguard the world’s culture, but
this shameful decision will do exactly the opposite and will ultimately
assist China in denying Tibetans their fundamental rights,” Pema Yoko,
executive director of advocacy group Students for a Free Tibet, said in a
statement.
At a UN forum in March, China was pressed by members to ease its
clamp-down on Tibet, in a rare show of direct criticism from member
countries. There are also large Tibetan communities in neighbouring
provinces like Qinghai and Sichuan.
China’s foreign ministry and Unesco did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday.
China rejects criticism from rights groups and exiles who accuse it of
trampling on the religious and cultural rights of the Tibetan people,
saying its rule has brought prosperity to a once-backward region.
Chinese representatives argue the new Unesco status is designed to help
protect the area and will not impact traditional culture.
According to ICT, Chinese representatives on Friday circulated a
statement saying they would “fully respect the will of the local herders
and their traditional culture”.
The latest decision brings China’s total number of Unesco world heritage sites to more than 50. – Reuters
