It is the second episode in 15 days, since Beijing isolated the areas in revolt. The monks are asking for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet and clarify that they do not want independence, just respect for human rights.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A group of 15 Tibetan monks dared to disrupt a Chinese government led tour of journalists today, calling out to them that they were there to defend human rights and for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.  The episode – the second of its kind in as many weeks– took place in Xiahe (Gansu), outside the monastery of Labrang. The monks, bearing Tibetan flags, attempted to speak to the 20 journalists, Chinese and foreign, shouting: “The Dalai Lama has to come back to Tibet. We are not asking for Tibetan independence, we are just asking for human rights, we have no human rights now”.

Some of the monks had their faces covered.  They also revealer that a large number of their colleagues had been arrested and that many armed police and plain cloths officers are patrolling the area.   Last month the Labrang monastery was at the heart of protests in support of the Tibetan’s in Lhasa.  Since the beginning of the revolts in Lhasa March 14th, the Chinese government has isolated Tibet and areas with Tibetan populations (Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai) banning all visitors and journalists.  In order to contrast news reports of repression of the monks and the local people – which are filtering through to the outside world – Beijing has organised guided tours for journalists and diplomats.  Two weeks ago a tour of foreign and Chinese journalists was disrupted in Lhasa by a group of monks in tears who accused the Chinese government of lies and cried out that there is no religious freedom in Tibet.

This morning in a press conference in the capital, the head of government for the autonomous region of Tibet, Qiangba Puncong, declared that the Chinese police arrested 953 people suspected of having participated in the Lhasa uprising.  Out of these only 403 have received arrest warrants.

China still maintains that the revolt caused the death of 19 people, all Chinese.  The Tibetan government in exile says that at least 140 Tibetans.  Calls for an independent inquiry and the freedom of movement for journalists are increasing, but Beijing is defending itself by keeping the areas sealed off and by launching accusations against the Dalai Lama of being a separatists and organising demonstrations to boycott the Olympics.

 

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