By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA, 16 July: The demolition of a historic stone fortress in Tibet’s eastern Gyalrong region by Chinese authorities has drawn criticism from Tibetans, who say it has heightened concerns over the preservation of Tibetan cultural heritage just days after China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” came into force.

Videos widely circulated online on 14 July show a bulldozer demolishing the centuries-old stone fortress, reportedly dating back to the Tibetan Empire. Although the exact circumstances surrounding the demolition remain unclear, the footage spread rapidly across Chinese social media before the original posts were removed, according to sources familiar with the incident. 

The demolition prompted rare expressions of grief from Tibetans inside occupied Tibet. Before the original posts were taken down, social media users describe...