Dr. Gyal Lo of the Tibet Action Institute, together with Tashi Tsering, Secretary-General of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, and Executive Director Lin Hsin-yi, visited the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on May 18.
In her welcoming remarks, NHRC Vice Chairperson Chi Hui-jung expressed appreciation to Dr. Gyal Lo for traveling to Taiwan and noted that the Chinese government's suppression of Tibetan cultural identity through authoritarian governance serves as a warning that Taiwan must not ignore. Chi further observed that, in recent years, efforts to suppress Tibetan culture have increasingly targeted younger generations. Through the establishment of boarding schools across Tibetan regions, Tibetan children are compelled to learn Han Chinese culture, undermining the foundations of Tibetan cultural identity and heritage. She noted that the NHRC has firmly supported activities commemorating Tibetan Uprising Day for two consecutive years, demonstrating Taiwan's solidarity with those striving to defend freedom and human dignity. Chi emphasized that Tibet is not alone in its long pursuit of dignity and self-determination, and that the NHRC will continue to transform this sense of solidarity into concrete action by advocating for Tibet within the international community.
Dr. Gyal Lo, who was born in Tibet, explained that after earning his doctoral degree from the University of Toronto and returning to teach in Tibet, he discovered that educational materials used in Tibetan schools bore little connection to Tibetan culture or history. Instead, they primarily promoted Han Chinese culture, state ideology, and colonial-style educational policies. This prompted him to undertake systematic research into the impact of China's assimilation policies on Tibetan society. Drawing on his research, Dr. Gyal Lo described how the Chinese government has used boarding schools as a tool to reshape the cultural foundations of Tibetan communities. Through fieldwork involving nearly 52 boarding schools, he found that children as young as four or five years old are required to live on campus and are generally permitted to return home only on weekends. According to his findings, approximately 88% of Tibetan children are enrolled in boarding schools. Families that refuse to send their children to such school’s risk losing access to social welfare benefits, while the children's future educational opportunities may also be adversely affected.
Dr. Gyal Lo observed that prolonged separation from their families often weakens children's emotional connections with their parents. Many children return home as strangers to their own families, becoming withdrawn and less willing to engage in meaningful interaction, leading to increasing alienation within households. He further noted that the sustained exposure of Tibetan children to Han Chinese cultural values and state ideology has caused considerable distress among many Tibetan parents, particularly mothers. Some have undertaken long journeys on foot to Lhasa to protest these policies. However, Chinese authorities reportedly prohibit individuals from providing lodging or assistance to these mothers, with violations subject to financial penalties. Dr. Gyal Lo also pointed to the extensive deployment of surveillance systems throughout Tibetan regions in recent years. He stated that the daily activities of monks and ordinary residents are subject to pervasive monitoring, leaving little room for privacy. Even activities that are not intended for public dissemination are reportedly subject to close observation.
Commissioner Kao Yung-cheng raised questions regarding the potential implications of China's newly enacted Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, adopted in 2026, and whether it would further institutionalize assimilation policies. Dr. Gyal Lo responded that the Chinese government has accumulated decades of experience in governing minority regions and suppressing dissent. In his view, the new legislation effectively legalizes existing practices of repression and accelerates efforts to assimilate ethnic minorities, posing serious threats to minority cultures and educational systems. He warned that the autonomy nominally granted to ethnic autonomous regions could become increasingly hollow.
Commissioner Tien Chiu-chin expressed concern regarding the future of Tibetan cultural and religious traditions following the Dalai Lama's announcement that the reincarnation system will continue. She noted that the next generation of Tibetans will have grown up under policies that have significantly reshaped Tibetan society and questioned how these traditions might be sustained. In response, Dr. Gyal Lo acknowledged that attitudes vary across generations. He explained that many Tibetans over the age of sixty strongly support the continuation of the Dalai Lama's reincarnation tradition. By contrast, younger generations, particularly those under forty, have been significantly influenced by state-driven nationalist narratives. According to his observations, more than 80% of younger Tibetans no longer practice Tibetan Buddhism.
In her closing remarks, Vice Chairperson Chi reaffirmed the NHRC's commitment to supporting Tibet and safeguarding the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Tibetan people through concrete action. On behalf of the NHRC, she presented a commemorative gift to Dr. Gyal Lo. In return, Dr. Gyal Lo presented a khata—a traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarf symbolizing respect, goodwill, and blessings—as a gesture of appreciation and friendship.