Another Buddhist statue revered by Tibetans has been destroyed by Chinese authorities in western China’s Sichuan province, said a report by Radio Free Asia.
The report claimed that it has verified the destruction of the statue by analyzing available commercial satellite imagery.
The three-story statue of Maitreya Buddha at Gaden Namyal Ling monastery in Drago (in Chinese, Luhuo) county in the Kardze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is reportedly the second statue to have been destroyed by authorities.
The statue of Maitreya is believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be a Buddha appearing in a future age.
Last week, RFA reported that Chinese authorities forced monks from local monasteries and Tibetans living in nearby towns to witness the demolition of a 99-foot Buddha statue and 45 traditional prayer wheels starting on December 12.
The report said the three-story statue and the structure housing it were both torn down around the same time as the 99-foot Buddha.
“Chinese authorities have again given unbelievable reasons for the destruction, saying there was no fire escape in the temple housing the three-story high statue of Maitreya Buddha, but these aren’t valid excuses,” the RFA report quoted a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The Chinese government is just continuing to Sinicize Tibet’s religion by not allowing Tibetans the freedom to practice their own religion and faith,” the source added.
Tenzin Lekshey, a spokesperson for Tibet’s Dharamsala, India-based exile government, the Central Tibetan Administration, told RFA that China’s continuing encroachment on Tibetans’ religious freedom will further complicate the troubling issue of China’s rule in Tibetan areas.
