The famous monastery faces renewed pressure as its residents endure displacement and silence.
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, and any residence within those limits is removed without delay. The number of demolished quarters is difficult to verify, and the lack of reliable information deepens the sense of vulnerability among those still inside the settlement. Pilgrims and visitors from other regions are reportedly turned away, leaving Larung Gar unusually isolated at a moment when outside contact would be essential to document what is happening.
This campaign follows earlier cycles of pressure. Local sources recall announcements years earlier that foreshadowed the current phase and remember previous demolitions starting in 2001. Those operations were accompanied by measures that limited the number of monastics and sent many back to their hometowns. In 2016, a resolution of the European Parliament denounced the demolitions.
During the 2019 demolitions, a nun named Tsering Dolma ended her life, leaving a final note expressing her anguish over the pressure she faced. Her death remains one of the most painful episodes in the long history of interventions at Larung Gar.
The current situation raises serious human-rights concerns. Entire sections of the settlement are being cleared, leaving residents without clear information about their future. The lack of transparency, restrictions on communication, and the unresolved fate of evicted monastics create a climate in which abuse can occur without scrutiny.
Larung Gar has long been a major center of Buddhist study, attracting practitioners from across Tibet and beyond. The ongoing demolitions strike at the foundations of this community, affecting both its physical environment and the daily lives of those who have devoted themselves to religious practice.
The events unfolding in Serta demand sustained international attention. Fundamental rights are at risk. Larung Gar has already endured several cycles of destruction, each leaving wounds that remain visible years later. The current campaign adds another chapter to a story marked by pressure, displacement, and the erosion of a community that has contributed profoundly to Tibetan religious life.
Uses a pseudonym for security reasons.
