Tibet, with its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage, is home to remarkable linguistic diversity. Approximately 60 languages are spoken in the region in addition to Tibetan, making it a linguistically vibrant area. However, this diversity is under severe threat, as Beijing's policies aim to homogenize the linguistic landscape, posing an existential threat to these languages. The Chinese Communist Party's aggressive efforts to enforce Mandarin Chinese and suppress minority languages have placed Tibet's linguistic heritage on the brink of extinction.

The situation in Tibet is alarming, with numerous minority languages at risk of disappearing. A recent example of the dire consequences of Beijing's policies involves a Tibetan village leader who died three days after his release from prison in December. His body bore marks of brutal torture, a punishment for his involvement in a campaign to protect the Tibetan language in China. This tragic story is one among many in a slow-moving conflict that has persisted for nearly 75 years since China's mid-20th-century invasion of Tibet. Language has been central to this conflict, with Tibetans working tirelessly to safeguard their language and resist the enforcement of Mandarin Chinese. However, despite their efforts, Tibetan children are losing their linguistic heritage through enrollment in state boarding schools, where they are educated almost exclusively in Mandarin Chinese. Tibetan is typically taught only a few times a week, insufficient to sustain the language.

Insights from a 2024 publication highlight the complex and subtly violent language politics in Tibet, driven by Chinese authorities and other Tibetans. The harsh government crackdowns following massive protests against Chinese rule in Ziling, the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau, in 2008, led to mass arrests, increased surveillance, and restrictions on freedom of movement and expressions of Tibetan identity. These crackdowns focused on language and religion, resulting in years of unrest, marked by more demonstrations and individual acts of sacrifice. Since 2009, over 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule.

Tibet's linguistic diversity is not limited to the Tibetan language alone. Approximately 60 languages are spoken in the region, with minority-language speakers comprising about 4% of the population, roughly 250,000 people. However, government policy mandates that all Tibetans learn and use Mandarin Chinese, creating significant challenges for those who speak only Tibetan in finding work and facing discrimination and violence from the dominant Han ethnic group. Support for Tibetan language education has dwindled, with the government even banning private Tibetan lessons or tutors during school holidays.

Linguistic minorities in Tibet need to learn Mandarin and often Tibetan to communicate with other Tibetans. However, in regions like Rebgong, where significant research has been conducted, the local language Manegacha is being replaced by Tibetan. About a third of families in Rebgong now teach Tibetan to their children, who must also learn Mandarin. The government's refusal to provide opportunities to learn and use minority languages like Manegacha, combined with tolerated discrimination and violence against Manegacha speakers by other Tibetans, has led to the collapse of linguistic diversity across Tibet. These assimilationist state policies harm people's mental and physical health and destroy their social connections and communal identities.

Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule dates back to the People's Liberation Army's invasion in the early 1950s. When the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, the resistance movement went global. Governments worldwide have continued to support Tibetan self-determination and combat Chinese misinformation about Tibet. For instance, the US Congress passed the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’ in 2024, demonstrating international support. However, outside efforts to support the Tibetan struggle often fail some of the most vulnerable people: those who speak minority languages.

Manegacha speakers strive to maintain their language, resisting assimilation pressures by speaking Manegacha to each other, posting online content in their language, and pushing back against discrimination. However, if Tibetans stop speaking Manegacha and other minority languages, it will contribute to the Chinese government's efforts to erase Tibetan identity and culture. Even if the Tibetan language somehow survives in China, the loss of even one of Tibet’s minority languages would be a victory for the Communist Party in the conflict it initiated 75 years ago.

The international community must recognize the gravity of the situation in Tibet and take action to support the preservation of its linguistic diversity. The Chinese Communist Party's efforts to annihilate Tibetan and other local languages are not merely about language; they represent an attack on the very identity and culture of the Tibetan people. As linguistic diversity collapses, the mental and physical health of the people suffer, and their social connections and communal identities are destroyed. The global community must stand in solidarity with the Tibetan people and work to protect their linguistic heritage before it is irreversibly lost. The fight to preserve Tibet's remarkable linguistic diversity is a fight to protect the unique cultural identity of an oppressed people and to resist the homogenizing forces of an authoritarian regime.