China forcibly confiscating lands to construct hydropower dam

To construct a hydropower dam, the Chinese authorities are trying to forcibly confiscate the lands of Tibetan villages in Rebgong County in China’s Qinghai Province. The local government has instructed the residents to cooperate and has also given instructions to impound lands, threatening to withhold compensation from anyone who refuses to give up their land. One of the major initiatives of China’s 131st Five-Year Plan is the development of the Lingya hydropower dam. The hydropower dam is spread out over a total of 4.58 million square metres and will cost 245 million Yuan to build. Rebgong, also known as Tongren in Chinese, is located in Huangnan, a Tibetan-populated region in the Qinghai prefecture.
Several Tibetan villages are situated in the reservoir project’s area. From the upper northeast of Langya village, the reservoir project area stretches to the lower northeast of Malpa Khagya village. The reservoir’s development is anticipated to begin soon. Locals are worried that if Rebgong County forcibly confiscates their properties they will be forced to work temporary jobs in Chinese towns and cities since they have no other means of support. Beijing’s aim to forcibly incorporate Tibetan minorities into the dominant Han-Chinese majority is visible in China’s rural urbanisation, the forced relocation of Tibetan nomads and farmers to urban areas, and the ongoing movement of significant numbers of Han Chinese in Tibet. Chinese infrastructure and development projects in these areas have led to frequent clashes with Tibetans who accuse Chinese firms and local officials of improperly confiscating land and disrupting the lives of
local people.