Anti-Tibetan sentiment
Anti-Tibetan sentiment refers to fear, dislike, hostility, and racism towards Tibetan people or anything related to Tibetan culture in general. Anti-Tibetan sentiment has been present in various regions of Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal at various points in time. Anti-Tibetan sentiment in South Asia is due to the presence of Tibetan immigrants in those countries. Anti-Tibetan sentiment in China has been fueled by Tibet's historical annexation by China on multiple occasions throughout the centuries. This annexation led to ongoing tensions between Tibetans and Han Chinese, with Tibet currently being under the administration of the People's Republic of China.
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Bhutan
The government of Bhutan agreed to take in 4000 Tibetan refugees. Ordinary Bhutanese became increasingly resentful of the Tibetan refugees because of their refusal to assimilate into Bhutanese culture.[1]
China
Ever since its inception, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the sole legal ruling political party of the PRC (including Tibet), has been distributing historical documents which portray Tibetan culture as barbaric in order to justify Chinese control of the territory of Tibet. As such, many members of Chinese society have a negative view of Tibet which can be interpreted as racism. The traditional view is that Tibet was historically a feudal society which practiced serfdom/slavery and that this only changed due to Chinese influence in the region.
The CCP also promotes the view that some ancient Chinese historical figures strongly influenced many aspects of Tibet's fundamental culture as part of its campaign to legitimize Chinese control of Tibet. One such figure is Princess Wencheng, an ancient Chinese princess who purportedly married king Songsten Gampo of Tibet and introduced Buddhism as well as many other forms of "civilization" to Tibet.[2][3] Evidence for the legitimacy of the claims made about Princess Wencheng is limited.
Some Chinese nationalists believe that the Han Chinese, Tibetans, and Mongols belong to the same ethnic group and/or race and that their differences are only regional rather than genetic.
India
In Arunachal Pradesh, a region bordering Tibet and is claimed by China as being South Tibet, there was a xenophobic campaign and a motion by the state government to expel around 12,000 Tibetans that received much support from the local population, but the Indian government was "angered" by the state government's initiatives.[4]
The Monpas, a people who are ethnically and culturally related to Tibetans, are opposed to Tibetan refugees in their state. Nevertheless all Tibetans are currently peacefully settled.[5]
Nepal
Tibetans and Himalayan ethnic groups of Tibetan origin such as the Sherpa and Tamang are at times derogatorily called "bhotey", which is the Nepali word for someone from Tibet, but is used as a slur.
References
- Roemer, Stephanie (2008). The Tibetan Government-in-Exile: Politics at Large. Psychology Press. pp. 74–76. ISBN 9780415451710.
- "Tibetan Ethnic Group". ChinaCulture.org (This is a state-owned website which reflects the official views of the Chinese government.). 2011.
In the 7th century AD, the Tibetan king, Songtsan Gampo, unified the whole region and established the Tubo Dynasty (629-846). The marriage of this Tibetan king to Princess Wencheng from Chang'an (modern-day Xian, the then capital of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)) and Princess Chizun from Nepal helped to introduce Buddhism and develop Tibetan culture.
- "Tibet's history during Tang dynasty". Embassy of the People's Republic of China in India (This is a website which is directly administered by the Chinese government.). 2009.
In 641, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty married Srongtsen Gampo. She brought to Tibet advanced cultures such as astronomical reckoning, agricultural techniques, medicines, paper making and sculpturing, as well as agricultural technicians, painters and architects, thus promoting the economic and cultural development in Tibet.
- "India: Possible mistreatment of Tibetan refugees in Darjeeling by ethnic Nepali nationalist groups such as Ghorka National Liberation Front and Ghorka Student Union". IND00001.ZNY. United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. 5 January 2000. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - Prakash, Ved (2008). Terrorism in India's North-east: A Gathering Storm, Volume 1. Kalpaz Publications. pp. 538–539. ISBN 9788178356617.