China Opens Hundreds of ‘Security Centers’ in Tibetan Capital Lhasa

Chinese authorities in Tibet’s capital Lhasa have increased police presence by opening several so-called “Security Centers,” with the aim of controlling Tibetans, sources in Tibet told RFA. The Security Centers, also known as convenience police stations, serve to facilitate a stronger centralized state by subverting local indigenous populations through surveillance.

According to a 2019 New York Times report, about 700 of these small police outposts double as community centers throughout Tibet and the Xinjang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). A source in Tibet told RFA’s Tibetan Service that the Security Centers are popping up all over Lhasa and other Tibetan cities, bringing with them increased numbers of police officers.

“So far there are more than 130 such Security Centers in Lhasa alone. The CCP [Chinese Communist Party] is recruiting many police officers in Tibet these days, and if you are a graduate eligible to become an officer, then finding a job in Lhasa has become much easier,” said the source, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

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