by Lopsang Gurung

A new phase of coercive measures has begun at Larung Gar, Tibet, once the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastic community in the world, where Chinese authorities have launched a large-scale plan to dismantle more than a thousand monastic residences. The operation began in mid-July and has unfolded at a pace that leaves little room for clarity or recourse. The Central Tibetan Administration reported that the demolitions continue daily and that strict controls on movement and communication have been imposed on monks, nuns, and lay residents. The same report noted that images and videos of the destruction are forbidden and that the condition of those already evicted remains uncertain.

Witnesses describe rows of dwellings disappearing behind screens of sprayed water meant to suppress dust. Work crews advance along boundary lines drawn long ago...