Chinese demolitions at Buddhist institute draw fireBEIJING: Rights groups on Tuesday called for Chinese authorities to stop forced demolitions at one of the world’s biggest Tibetan Buddhist institutes, saying the move was an attempt to “severely restrict” religious freedoms. “These demolitions are part of a set of policy measures implemented by the Chinese government that severely restrict the religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists,” wrote ICT’s president Matteo Mecacci. In June, local government officials ordered the estimated 10,000 Buddhist monks and nuns living at the center, also known as Serthar, be cut to no more than 5,000, another overseas organization, Free Tibet, said in an email. Pictures circulated on social media showed bulldozers destroying colorful buildings at the institute, the ICT statement said. Authorities began destroying living quarters at Larung Gar Institute in the southwestern province of Sichuan last week, according to a statement by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT).

Source: Manila Times July 26, 2016 10:18 UTC