Tibet Protest Update: Two Confirmed Dead - Fears For 100

After a third day of protests, there have been unconfirmed reports
of around 100 Tibetans killed and an escalation of the protests on
Lhasa. There have also been reports of tanks and troops patrolling
Lhasa as Chinese authorities attempt to maintain control in the Tibetan
capital.

Deaths In Chinese Crackdown
Tibet.net has published unconfirmed reports that Chinese armed police
have killed around 100 Tibetans and injured many others. Most
mainstream media sources are at this stage reporting “several deaths”.

Radio Free Asia reports that a Tibetan witness “saw two dead at
Ramoche temple, two in the garden, two at the Ganden printing house”.
The witness also said that “Tibetans who went to take food to prisoners
in Drapchi prison saw 26 Tibetans shot after they were brought in on a
black vehicle, … There could be about 80 dead, or more, but there is
too much commotion here to give an exact number.”

The deaths come after the US embassy in Beijing said American
citizens in Lhasa had called to report hearing gunfire. Tibetan
witnesses also reported that Chinese police were firing live ammunition
into the crowd.

Tanks And Troops Patrol Lhasa
It has been widely reported that Chinese military vehicles, including
tanks, are patrolling Lhasa. One witness said, “The Chinese authorities
deployed all military in the Lhasa area and sent tanks. There could be
several hundred tanks and they were shooting into the crowds … They
also fired several rounds of tear-gas.”

Protests Escalating And Spreading
“Protests occurred simultaneously at several locations,” one witness
reported. “Hundreds of protesters were marching in several directions,
including in the Barkhor area and Rangshong Jong road.”

“At one level it appeared to be an orchestrated protest, and at the
same time it appeared to be very random and spontaneous, with masses of
people emboldened by the relative lack of police presence on the
scene,” the witness said. “So more and more Tibetans joined the frantic
crowds en route. This was the biggest protest so far in Lhasa.”

Protesters were seen running through the streets with traditional
white scarves in their hands, shouting “Free Tibet.” The crowd was
joined by monks from the Ramoche monastery. It then took a violent turn
with property with real or perceived Chinese connections being damaged
or burned.

Witnesses have reported that Ramoche monastery was badly damaged
after Tibetans were found carrying photos of the Dalai Lama and
shouting “Independence for Tibet.” It has also been reported that four
monks from Ganden monastery had set themselves on fire in protest.

3,000 Tibetans protested in Labrang

Protests
have also occurred in other ethnically Tibetan areas. At Labrang, a
major monastery in Gansu province, monks have reportedly led a protest
of at least 3,000 people on Friday. Military and police forces stopped
the crowd before they could reach the prefecture government building.
The crowd was reportedly carrying Tibetan flags and shouting “Long live
the Dalai Lama” and “Free Tibet.”

Dalai Lama: Address The Deep-Rooted Resentment of the Tibetan People
On
Friday, the Dalai Lama said: “I am deeply concerned over the situation
that has been developing in Tibet following peaceful protests in many
parts of Tibet, including Lhasa, in recent days … These protests are a
manifestation of the deep-rooted resentment of the Tibetan people under
the present governance.” The Dalai Lama also appealed to the Chinese
leadership to stop using force and address the long-simmering
resentment of the Tibetan people through dialogue. He also urged his
fellow Tibetans not to resort to violence.

Lhasa Lockdown
The protests began around 10am Friday and Han Chinese residents told RFA that
a curfew took effect at around 1pm on Friday and that the protests
tailed off around 3:30pm, after large numbers of paramilitary People’s
Armed Police (PAP) were mobilized. Lhasa residents told RFA that
the city was under martial law, with protests erupting in other
provinces, but Chinese officials couldn’t be reached for confirmation.

http://www.atc.org.au/content/view/555/1/