Voice of America (VOA) closes down operations in Dharamsala, Radio Free Asia to follow suit by April-end.
The Tibetan community in exile and the Association of Tibetan journalists have expressed concern over VOA shutting down its operations in Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.
Besides VOA, Radio Free Asia is also set to close down its operations in Dharamsala in April, according to sources.
These US-government-funded media outlets served as vital sources of information regarding the state of Tibetans in Tibet for Tibetan media outlets in exile.
During the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile’s ongoing budget session, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Penpa Tsering informed the house that all VOA central headquarters staff have been placed on administrative leave, while regional reporters, including those in Dharamsala, have terminated operations. Similarly, Radio Free Asia’s central staff have been furloughed, with its regional staff being supported through reserved funds until the end of April.
The closures come in the wake of an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on March 14, instructing the reduction of operations for seven federally funded entities, including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees VOA and RFA.
The Tibetan media in exile have termed the closure of VOA and RFA as a major media setback to the Tibetan cause.
The Dharamsala-based Association of Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) strongly condemned the funding cuts, urging the US government to reinstate financial support for the Tibetan language services of both radio stations.
In a statement, ATJ warned that the closure of these stations would significantly undermine press freedom and democratic values in the Tibetan exile community.
ATJ emphasised the critical role these media outlets have played in providing reliable news to Tibetans inside Tibet and preserving Tibetan language and culture.
ATJ has held that over the years, VOA and RFA have served as vital sources of information on Tibetan life under Chinese rule, the activities of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government-in-exile, and the plight of Tibetan refugees.
Chinese state-controlled media have celebrated the shutdown, portraying it as a victory against what they claim to be false reporting. The Global Times described VOA as a “so-called beacon of freedom” that has been discarded like a dirty rag by its own government.
Other Chinese media outlets, including Beijing Daily, accused VOA of spreading misinformation about China, Tibetan journalists said, adding that Tibetans in Tibet, and in exile, now face an information vacuum as these longstanding media platforms fall silent.
Many Tibetan MPs have called for restoration of funding for the two media outlets, describing them as lifelines for propagating human rights situations inside Tibet.
The Central Tibetan Administration, ATJ, and other Tibetan organisations have called on the US government to reconsider its decision and restore the critical services provided by VOA and RFA’s Tibetan language divisions.
