UNESCO to send expert mission to Lhasa to investigate demolitions following pressure from Free Tibet Campaign

5 August 2002

Free Tibet Campaign recently received confirmation from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) that it is sending an expert mission to Lhasa to examine the illegal demolitions and construction work taking place in the World Heritage protected area of the Barkhor following our Urgent Campaign action of 1 May 2002.

UNESCO made its decision at the 26th session of the World Heritage Committee in late June to which the Vice Mayor of Lhasa attended. He claimed that the 13 floor building was built prior to the extension of the World Heritage protected area into the Barkhor area. There are still no details on exactly when this mission will be sent to Lhasa or the composition of its personnel, though UNESCO has written to the Chinese authorities to request dates for the mission.

Demonstrating the extent of foreign political pressure on China and the local Lhasa authorities to halt these demolitions, Xinhua, the official news agency has published a series of articles in late July 2002 which seeks to assure people that the cultural integrity of Lhasa is being preserved whilst at the same time improving people's living conditions. On 24 July, it reported that the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Lhasa's Chengguan Distrcit had surveyed 1,000 odd Tibetan households in the Barkhor area for their views on living conditions and protection of Tibetan style architecture. Not unsurprisingly the survey apparently reported that "local people, discontent with existing living conditions, are yearning for the renovations being done as soon as possible". Xinhua also interviewed one Lhasa resident who had returned in 1986 to the two houses he had left in 1959 in the protected area. He apparently stated that "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the two houses had remained unchanged after so many years" (Xinhua, 23 July 2002). His testimony is contradicted by many of the eyewitness reports and photographs documenting these demolitions and the ongoing "development" of old Lhasa received by Tibet Information Network (TIN) and other organisations.

Many thanks to everyone for taking part in this action. We will keep you posted on any future developments.