many Tibetans at Yarchen Gar, one of the world’s most important sites for Tibetan Buddhism, will be feeling deeply insecure. Last summer, many residents found themselves without homes after they were demolished by the Chinese government.
At the time, Free Tibet’s work with satellite imagery once again laid bare China’s human rights abuses, and the blatant disregard for Tibet’s unique history and culture.
A huge area of Yarchen Gar was destroyed. Rumours and reports of demolitions and the forced removal of monks and nuns had been leaking out of Yarchen Gar for some time, but thanks to the Chinese authorities’ clampdown on movement and communication, these were previously hard to verify. These new images confirmed the truth, and revealed that around half of the site had been levelled.
Larung Gar, another important site for Tibetan Buddhism, was subject to mass demolitions and forced evictions between 2016-17. Figures show 4,828 people have been evicted and at least 4,725 buildings destroyed.
Lake Zabuye, once a pristine site, has been transformed into an enormous lithium mine. For years, China has been exploiting the environment in Tibet without the consent of the Tibetan people.
Jokhang Temple – dating from the 7th century and home to many important artefacts and manuscripts – was engulfed by flame in February 2018. All mention of the fire was removed from social media by Chinese censors. However, satellite images revealed the true extent of fire damage
