Bhotekoshi Flood: Tibetan Rights Groups Demand Transparency and Accountability from China

Kathmandu. Following a massive flood in the Bhotekoshi River, Tibetan rights activists and environmentalists have demanded that China maintain transparency, promptly release cross-border hydrological data, and take accountability to prevent such disasters in the future.

At a press conference organized in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India on Tuesday, the International Tibet Network (ITN) and Students for a Free Tibet–India stated that obtaining reliable information regarding glacial lake and avalanche events in the Kyirong region of Tibet has been difficult. They also demanded that China grant international media unrestricted access to the affected areas.

Dhondup Wangmo, a researcher at the Environment and Development Desk under the Tibet Policy Institute (CTA), accused China of failing to share adequate information with downstream nations like Nepal and India.

She stated that if China does not take accountability, such disasters could recur in the future, emphasizing that information regarding cross-border river water levels and glacial lake risks must be made openly available. Meanwhile, Lobsang Yangtso, a senior environment researcher at the International Tibet Network, commented that the world's largest hydroelectric project being constructed by China on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River flowing from Tibet should serve as a warning to India. She added that the disaster observed in Nepal further highlights the urgent need for timely information sharing in cross-border river management.

Rights groups also urged Beijing not to penalize Tibetans attempting to share flood-related information or contact their relatives. Additionally, they demanded that China provide timely cross-border hydrological data and early warnings to Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.

On the other hand, China has denied allegations of censoring flood videos and withholding information. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that China's information disclosure system is open and transparent, and that accusations made using the disaster as a pretext are baseless. — ANI