China’s destruction of “Over 200 Monks’ Homes in Tibet,” says a report, “Raises Alarm on Religious Freedom.” The alarm has never stopped sounding, for the state has never stopped assaulting independent religious practice and the conditions that make it possible. Perhaps Beijing’s new ethnic unity law will make the assaults even more frequent and devastating.
The details of the demolition campaign are a little fuzzy because the CCP often doesn’t advertise exactly how the Party is advancing its assimilationist agenda and tries to prevent Tibetans from getting the word out (ANI, October 28, 2026).
Chinese authorities have reportedly initiated a widespread demolition drive targeting over 200 residential homes belonging to monks at the historic Dza Sershul Monastery in eastern Tibet….
The alleged demolition campaign in Sershul County, Karze region, is believed to have commenced around October 25 or 26. However, precise details and the full scope of the operation remain unconfirmed due to restrictions on internet access and information flow….
This incident is not isolated; it follows previous demolition drives at major Tibetan Buddhist institutions. Notably, Larung Gar faced large-scale demolitions starting in July 2016, and Yachen Gar experienced similar campaigns in August 2017 and July 2019. These actions reflect a pattern of pressure on Tibetan religious sites….
Concerns about religious education have been ongoing for years. In 2018, over 200 underage novice monks were reportedly expelled from Dza Sershul Monastery and directed to government-run schools. According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, monasteries have been pressured to comply, facing potential penalties like closure and detention of religious leaders. The CTA [Central Tibetan Administration] has also documented allegations of political pressure on Tibetan communities, including demands to remove images of the Dalai Lama and demonstrate loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
The Tibet Post adds that the Dza Sershul Monastery “was founded in 1760 and…is the largest Gelug school Buddhist institution in the Dzachuka region….
“The Chinese authorities have also demolished thousands of residences of Tibetan monks and nuns in Larung Gar, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist institute, since 2001. The latest wave of demolitions began in mid-July and is set to destroy 1,060 dwellings of monks and nuns.”
