BEIJING: The Chinese authorities in Qinghai province are forcing Tibetan nomads to sign an agreement that transfers the proprietorship of their traditional lands to the government.

These nomads live almost in the same way that their ancestors lived centuries ago, by following and herding livestock on the Tibetan plateau’s lush grasslands but Chinese authorities are now restricting these nomads from accessing their traditional grazing lands, Radio Free Asia reported.

“They are forcing Tibetans to sign these ownership documents which transfers proprietorship of these lands to the government,” a local source told RFA’s Tibetan Service.

“The nomadic regions in Trindu [in Chinese, Chenduo] county in Kyegudo are where they are revoking usage permits now and confiscating the land. The real purpose of confiscating the land is to force the Tibetan nomads to relocate to the city,” the source added.

50 years ago, the Chinese government had agreed to allow the local nomads based in Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to use their grazing land without interference, but now their time has expired.

Earlier in August, a Tibetan community leader and his nephew were also arrested in Qinghai’s Tridu county after advising local Tibetans not to sign away their rights, Radio Free Asia reported. (ANI)