Kathmandu (AsiaNews/RFA) – Hundreds of Tibetan graduates have staged a public protest in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, over alleged discrimination by ethnic Han Chinese authorities in civil service entry exams. A peaceful two-day demonstration took place in late October; another is planned for November 11.

The protest was sparked by a September 30 civil service examination conducted by the Tibetan Autonomous Region government in Lhasa aimed at filling 100 open positions. Exams were in Chinese and about Chinese culture and history. At the end jobs were offered to 98 Chinese and two Tibetan applicants.

Demonstrators said they felt twice discriminated for the way the exams were held and for the fact that, although most Tibetan students trained at Chinese universities, promises that they would have the same chances as ethnic Han Chinese if they had a Chinese education proved to be false.

The problem is more acute if one considers that only 13 per cent of all Tibetans possess a college or university education compared to 50 per cent of ethnic Han Chinese even though ethnic Tibetans represent 52 per cent of the population.

Students explained that they were able to train only because of the great sacrifices their families made. Now if their degrees are worthless they lose everything.

For this reason a group of some 200 students have continued their peaceful protest in front of regional government offices.