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Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 24: The National Center for Seismology (NCS), India’s leading agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences responsible for monitoring earthquakes, is under scrutiny for consistently using the colonial term “Xizang” instead of “Tibet” in its report and updates, particularly in the wake of the devastating January 7 earthquake in Southern Tibet’s Dingri and its subsequent aftershocks.
The NCS has referred to Tibet as “Xizang” in more than 55 instances issued between January 7 and January 16, including its official preliminary report on the Dingri earthquake. This has sparked concerns from the Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG), a Tibetan advocacy group under the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) over the use of this term, which is viewed as a propaganda tool imposed by the Chinese government to undermine Tibet’s distinct historical and cultural identity.
Tenzing Dhamdul and Tenzin Lhatso, researchers based in Delhi, representing the V-TAG met with NCS Director Dr. Om Prakash Mishra to address the issue. During the meeting held on Tuesday, they outlined the geopolitical implications of India adopting the term “Xizang.” They also inquired whether this terminology reflected an official shift in India’s policy.
Dhamdul told Phayul that the NCS director reassured them, stating, “For India, Tibet is Tibet and not Xizang.” Dr. Mishra reportedly pointed to a world map displayed at the NCS, affirming that “Tibet” is the official nomenclature used in India’s geopolitical framework. Despite this verbal assurance, a review of the NCS website reveals that “Xizang” remains in use across its report and updates. This contradiction has sparked questions about the efficacy of the dialogue and whether the NCS is willing to reconsider its terminology policy.
When asked why the NCS continues to use “Xizang” in reports such as those concerning the Dingri earthquake, despite concerns raised in the meeting, Lhatso, the Delhi Regional V-TAG Coordinator, explained that they are working to address the issue. She noted that updating their system takes time but assured that if no progress is made by late January or early February, they plan to meet the NCS team again to reiterate their concerns. Dhamdul highlighted that the scientific community’s reliance on open-source platforms like Google Earth, where latitudinal and longitudinal data automatically label the region as “Xizang,” poses a significant challenge. “This issue is not limited to India but is part of a larger global challenge,” he added.
The persistent use of “Xizang” is not limited to India. Dhamdul further pointed out that the term “Xizang” has been used by other seismological centres in countries like Switzerland and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) is a US government agency referred to the 7.1 magnitude quake as the “Southern Tibetan Plateau Earthquake,” but its administrative labelling also used “Xizang.” This inconsistency persists despite the U.S. passing the Resolve Tibet Act, which aims to counter Chinese disinformation about Tibet, including historical misrepresentations.
Despite their efforts to challenge the use of the colonial term, the concerns raised by the Tibetan advocacy group have largely been ignored. Dhamdul noted that it is likely other governments and countries may have also used “Xizang” in their reports on the Dingri earthquake.
Observers note that scientific institutions must remain apolitical and ensure their terminology respects the historical and cultural identities of the regions they report on. By adopting “Tibet” instead of “Xizang,” the NCS could demonstrate a commitment to neutrality and inclusivity while avoiding the unintended endorsement of politically charged narratives promoted by China.
Tibetan rights groups and Central Tibetan Administration President Penpa Tsering have called on governments, Western institutions, and international media to refrain from using Chinese propaganda terminology in their coverage of the Dingri earthquake. President Tsering warned that adopting such terms carries significant geopolitical implications, inadvertently endorsing China’s claims over Tibet and undermining the region’s unique identity. “We appeal to the international community not to fall into the trap of Chinese propaganda by using Chinese names for Tibetan places,” he said.
Although the term “Xizang” has gained traction in seismological centres in various countries and in media coverage, critics view this trend as part of China’s broader strategy to promote their narrative and reshape international perceptions of Tibet and promote territorial expansion. They argue that this shift seeks to undermine Tibet’s distinct identity, which is deeply rooted in its sovereignty prior to the colonial and illegal occupation by the People’s Republic of China.
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