Cheogyal Dawa, a 25-year-old Tibetan man, recently fled China and is now speaking out about the erosion of his culture. He shared his story with CNN, revealing the struggles he faced in his homeland and the reasons behind his decision to leave.

Life in Tibet

Cheogyal was born and raised in the Tibetan region of Sichuan, China. He grew up in a family that valued their Tibetan heritage and culture. However, as he grew older, he began to notice the Chinese government’s increasing efforts to suppress Tibetan culture and language.

Cheogyal attended schools that taught Tibetan language and culture, but he saw the path for such education close behind him. His elementary school was taken over by the state in 2021, and his secondary school was shuttered in 2024. Now, children from his home county attend government primary schools, where Tibetan is taught as a single subject course.

Fleeing China

Cheogyal’s decision to flee China was not an easy one. He had previously tried to escape the country in 2008, but was caught by Chinese border patrol and held in detention for roughly a month. This time, he managed to leave by air with travel documents and made his way to India, where he is currently living in exile.

Cheogyal’s story is a rare first-hand account of coming of age in the Tibetan region under Chinese rule. His experiences highlight the challenges faced by Tibetans in preserving their culture and language in the face of increasing suppression by the Chinese government.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.