In Tibet, individuals aspiring to secure public sector jobs face a stringent Chinese requirement: they must renounce the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. This policy seemingly contradicts China’s constitution, which ostensibly safeguards freedom of religion.
Recently, an official directive from Beijing outlined 554 new public job opportunities in Sigatse (Xigaze), targeting college graduates from the Tibet Autonomous Region with expertise in medicine, counseling, and village development. Job applicants are mandated to be “trustworthy and reliable citizens,” disavow the Dalai Lama, refrain from separatism, and pledge loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
Despite Beijing’s accusations of the Dalai Lama supporting terrorism and advocating for Tibet’s separation from China, he adheres to the “Middle Way,” accepting Tibet as part of China while advocating for increased cultural and religious freedoms.
While China’s constitution explicitly prohibits compelling citizens’ religious beliefs, the government often influences religious matters in practice. Pema Gyal, a researcher at Tibet Watch, asserts that the Chinese government frequently employs employment and education systems to suppress Tibetans, violating their basic human rights.
Pema Gyal emphasizes that despite the government’s strategies, Tibetans’ faith and loyalty to the Dalai Lama cannot be erased. Recent reports from Radio Free Asia reveal China’s “anti-separatism” workshops pressuring Tibetan students and teachers to denounce the Dalai Lama.
In Lhasa, the regional capital, college graduates, especially females, encounter difficulties securing government jobs, with some resorting to regular positions like childcare in childcare centers. This illustrates the challenging circumstances Tibetans face in pursuing their livelihoods under repressive conditions imposed by authorities.
