We note that almost every person recently interviewed during the Mission reported awareness of the influx of prostitution into Tibet. Witnesses uniformly comment that the Chinese authorities implicitly condone or even sponsor the proliferation of brothels as a means to service the large numbers of Chinese military personnel stationed in Tibet as part of the occupying forces. In addition, there is evidence that condoned or supported prostitution is being instituted in areas with great cultural or religious significance for Tibetans, such as the streets immediately below the Potala Palace in Lhasa. A surprising number of witnesses told the Mission that prostitution was legal in Tibet. The consistency of that observation supports a finding of government condonation of prostitution.
Some witnesses indicate that the majority of prostitutes are Chinese.
One witness estimated a ratio of three Tibetans for every 100 Chinese prostitutes. Another witness stated that there were separate rooms for Tibetan and Chinese prostitutes in the hotel vicinity. Many witnesses stated that prostitutes were as young as 12 and 13. Some state that women come to villages and take away young Tibetan girls who are never seen again. One Tibetan women indicated that the harsh birth control policies against them led to family troubles and that their husbands frequented brothels as a result.