Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 24: Concerns over Tibetans living abroad travelling to Tibet for family visits and tourism came under scrutiny on Thursday as members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile fenced questions to the minister of Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Security on the eighth day of the ongoing session.
The discussion centred on the implications of such visits amid what parliamentarians described as heightened restrictions inside Tibet. Parliamentarian Lobsang Gyatso Sither said the issue warranted careful consideration, while acknowledging that travelling to Tibet can provide Tibetans living abroad with an opportunity to reunite with families, relatives, and visit their homeland.
He pointed to China’s 2026–2030 Five-Year Plan, arguing that Beijing has given tourism development significant importance within its policy framework. He cautioned that Tibetans travelling to Tibet could, in certain circumstances, risk being perceived as lending support to or becoming part of such initiatives. He also referred to figures concerning tourism and visa arrangements, saying that China had set ambitious targets for international visitors and that a large proportion of foreign travellers were making use of visa-free or simplified entry arrangements. He linked these developments to the broader expansion of tourism in Tibet.
The parliamentarian further recalled guidance issued by the previous Cabinet concerning travel to Tibet, saying that many Tibetans should follow the guidance and maintain contact with the Department of Security regarding their visits. He also questioned the lack of public disclosure surrounding some Tibet-related trips and highlighted what he described as a contradiction between seeking asylum abroad on the grounds of difficulties inside Tibet and subsequently returning to Tibet.
Responding to concerns raised by members, Security Minister Kunga Tashi urged Tibetans travelling to Tibet to exercise caution and ensure that their visits do not turn them into instruments of Chinese propaganda. He said Tibetans who encounter transnational repression by Chinese authorities should report such incidents to the Department of Security. According to the Minister, documented cases would enable the department to raise the matter with relevant governments and pursue appropriate channels of action.
The issue of Tibetans travelling to Tibet was also raised in connection with organised trips involving young Tibetans from Europe. Some parliamentarians expressed concern that Tibetan children were being taken to Tibet under programmes organised by particular groups and called for greater awareness among parents.
Minister Kunga Tashi said the department was aware of the issue and maintained that some of the programmes were being organised with private financial interests in mind. He urged the Tibetan public to exercise vigilance and said the department had been taking measures in response.
Members also raised concerns about Tibetans travelling to Tibet in connection with what they described as Chinese united-front activities, as well as the potential consequences faced by Tibetans who return and speak publicly about their experiences.
He reiterated that Tibetans visiting Tibet should be particularly mindful of the possibility of being used for propaganda purposes and urged anyone subjected to pressure or repression beyond China’s borders to report it to the department.
The parliamentary discussion also touched on the continuing decline in the number of Tibetans arriving in India from Tibet. In response to questions from parliamentarians on Wednesday, the Security Minister said the number of new arrivals from Tibet had generally declined since 2012, with only seven Tibetans arriving from Tibet so far this year.
There are many shameless Tibetans from abroad who are have enough money to visit occupied Tibet! Among these two-headed double dealers, many of them are selling their soul to evil communist China for the sake of money, business opportunities and self-aggrandizement! Among these turn coated, a man called “Desi Arok” is the most notorious traitor who is prostituting himself willfully by working on behalf of the propaganda wing of the CCP! He is enticing Tibetans in exile to visit occupied Tibet in the hope that gradually, the CCP can control the Tibetan Independence Movement by alienating those who are protesting against the brutal occupation of Tibet by communist China! This man is originally from Bylakuppe camp Number Four and belongs to the Khampa tribe from Dege! Camp Number four has been a rebellious group who have for years resisted the Tibetan authorities through their thuggish behavior in the 1980s! Obviously, he belongs to this recalcitrant mob who is now once again turning himself an anti-Tibet activist on behalf of the CCP regime! This evil man lives in New York, all Tibetans who regard Tibet as their country and the Chinese invader and occupier as an enemy MUST BOYCOTT DESI ARO as a virulent TRAITOR AND OSTRACIZE HIM FOR HIS COLLABORATION WITH THR ENEMY OF THR TIBETAN NATION AND ITS PEOPLE!