China censors images of floods in Tibet

The images of the devastating flood who invested the Gyirong portone of the main crossings between Nepal and the Tibethave traveled around the world but have remained almost completely absent from the media and the internet China. This is reported by Bbcunderlining that the main news on Chinese state television has so far only shown a still image of the flood.

Flood in Nepal, China censors images of the port in Tibet

Even on the Chinese network, which is subject to a rigid system censorshipit is difficult to find the video that shows the torrent of water and mud overwhelm buildings and infrastructure as hundreds of people flee.

The testimonies are nowhere to be found in the Chinese media

Direct testimonies about it are also almost impossible to find catastrophewhich has caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of missing since Wednesday. Beijing has started a vast operation of rescue with hundreds of operators and the president Xi Jinping chaired an emergency meeting to coordinate the interventions.

The rescue machine in China

The authorities publish daily updates on victimson the missing and on the risk of overflowing of a lake formed following landslides. State media have released new images of rescue teams engaged in mud and rocks, in the mountains and along swollen rivers, but There is a lack of evidence of the survivorsstories from the families of the missing and films made by the inhabitants during the flood and in the hours that followed.

Media coverage of the emergency

The evening following the catastrophe, while the international media opened with the devastation in the Himalayan valley, the main Chinese news dedicated the opening news to the publication of a new book by Xia selection of his works considered “most important and fundamental”. Foreign journalists cannot travel to Tibet without government authorization. According to the Bbcthe few videos that appear online are quickly removed and contacting the region’s inhabitants directly is extremely difficult.

The response of the authorities

He first Li Qiang he was quickly sent to the scene and was filmed inspecting the rubble removal operations. The visit of the number two of the Chinese leadership, unusual in the immediate aftermath of a catastrophe, shows the attention paid by Beijing to the emergency. According to the British broadcaster, the caution in the dissemination of information is linked above all to the will of the Communist Party to preserve stability and prevent disaster management from fueling discontent in a historically sensitive region.

Appeals for stability

Immediately after the flood, the local office of Communist Party invited its members to participate in the relief efforts and provide psychological support to the inhabitants, asking them to “make every effort to maintain social order and guarantee the stability and confidence of the population in the affected areas”. The most efficient officials will be rewarded, while those deemed inadequate “will be held accountable”.

Criticisms on transparency

L’International Campaign for Tibetwhile praising the work of the rescuers, accused Beijing to remove videos and first-hand information from social networks and asked the authorities to “disclose complete and verifiable information on damage and victims”. Beijing denies violating the rights of Tibetans and underlines the huge investments made in the region to develop tourism and promote its integration with the rest of the country.