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CULTURAL GENOCIDE AND THE QUESTION OF TIBET

Abstract:

Several international human rights instruments, notably the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), have sought to protect indigenous peoples and their cultural identity. Despite these developments, cultural rights are often described as a less developed category of human rights, largely in terms of their application, legal understanding and scope. This paper with a qualitative descriptive scope was devoted to the study of the concept of “cultural genocide” as a particular threat to the world’s indigenous minorities. By exploring Article 8 of the UNDRIP and the importance of cultural identity for the Tibetan people, the paper analyzes how the Chinese government policy violates this article and seeks to ge¬nerate a debate on violations of cultural rights, which often do not involve killings and physical violence. It is concluded that the existence of Tibetan culture is seriously threatened.