The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been implementing coercive measures to erase Tibetan identity, including language, religion, and culture, as per a recent report. Satellite imagery exposed the removal of the sacred ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ mantra from rocks, replaced with the Chinese flag, while Tibetan nomads were compelled to switch traditional Mani prayer flags for Chinese ones. This cultural repression in Tibet has worsened, with Chinese authorities burning traditional prayer flags citing fire hazards.
The report highlighted incidents where Chinese officials burnt traditional prayer flags and engaged in the removal, replacement, or manipulation of traditional Mani prayer flags in Tibet. This move has been seen as an escalation in Beijing’s attempts to eliminate visible Tibetan religious traditions. The past years have witnessed the demolition of Mani flags and wheels by Chinese officials, with restrictions imposed on Tibetans during the 90th birthday celebrations of the Dalai Lama.
Italian sociologist of religions, Massimo Introvigne, criticized the forced removal of prayer flags from Tibetans, terming it as an “offence and sacrilege.” Introvigne accused the CCP of attempting to destroy Tibetan religion and culture, aiming to present a sanitized version for tourists. The destruction of around 300 Buddhist stupas in Tibet’s Kham province in mid-2025 was also reported, leading to condemnation from the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as an act of cultural vandalism.
