The destruction of Lhasa. Much of the old center of the city, which is the capital of Tibet, is roped off. Although unconfirmed, it appears that it is being readied for demolition. The Chinese seem to have stepped up their war on Tibetan separatism to include its cultural heritage. The Tibet Heritage Fund, an NGO dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan architecture, was expelled from Lhasa this summer. The Fund had collaborated in the restoration of 76 buildings as old as the seventh century AD, using traditional materials and keeping endangered skills alive by utilizing local artisans. All of this seems a response to the humiliation China suffered with the January 2000 defection of the Karmapa Lama to join the Dalai Lama ‘s expatriate Tibetan community in Dharmsala, India. Up until that time, China had been using preservation and restoration of Tibetan monasteries (destroyed during the Cultural Revolution) as an apparent means of ingratiating itself with pro-Tibet foreign opinion.

The strategy had been to make Tibet a touristic showcase while turning Tibetans
themselves into a deracinated minority—similar to what the US, for example, did
to Hawaii. But all signs indicate Beijing’s policy, oppressive at the best of times. is
moving towards forced assimilation.

I’d never run across The Art Newspaper, the visual arts publication covering this issue, either online or in print before.