Chinese authorities have recently distributed copies of a political propaganda booklet that masquerades as legal education material in Tibetan monastic institutions located across Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, in the Tibetan province of Amdo.
The 80-page bilingual booklet in Tibetan and Chinese is presented as a ‘legal text’ used to spread awareness among the Tibetan monastic population about specific criminal acts that are deemed separatist by the Chinese government. The subtext inherent to the booklet is one of intimidation and a veiled warning that these so-called crimes will be dealt with severely and punished.