2008 Woodie Awards
Dalai Lama calls for protest investigation
By: Brian Szabelski
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: World
BEIJING - The Dalai Lama called yesterday for an international investigation into China's crackdown against protesters in Tibet, which he said is facing a "cultural genocide" and where his exiled government said 80 people were killed in the violence.
The demonstrations were the fiercest challenge to Beijing's rule in the region in nearly two decades, leading to sympathy protests elsewhere and embarrassing China ahead of the Olympic Games.
Along with 80 killed, some 72 people were injured in the protests, said Thubten Samphel, a spokesman for the exiles.
He said the figures were confirmed by multiple sources inside Tibet who had counted corpses. China's state media said 10 people died.
Meanwhile, hundreds of armed police and soldiers patrolled the streets of Lhasa two days after Tibetans torched buildings and stoned Chinese residents.
Hong Kong Cable TV reported some 200 military vehicles, carrying 40 to 60 armed soldiers each, drove into the city center of Lhasa yesterday.
Footage showed the streets were mostly empty other than the security forces. Messages on loudspeakers warned residents to "discern between enemies and friends, maintain order" and "have a clear stand to oppose violence, maintain stability."
The Tibetan spiritual leader, speaking in Dharmsala, the north Indian hill town where Tibet's government-in-exile is based, said "Some respected international organization can find out what the situation is in Tibet and what is the cause."
"Whether the [Chinese] government there admits or not, there is a problem. There is an ancient cultural heritage that is facing serious danger," the Dalai Lama said.
"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some kind of cultural genocide is taking place."
It was not immediately clear if he was referring to China's overall policies in Tibet when he spoke of a genocide, or the recent crackdown.
The violence erupted just two weeks before China's Summer Olympic celebrations kick off with the start of the torch relay, which passes through Tibet. China is gambling that its crackdown will not draw an international outcry over human rights violations that could lead to boycotts of the Olympics.
The demonstrations were the fiercest challenge to Beijing's rule in the region in nearly two decades, leading to sympathy protests elsewhere and embarrassing China ahead of the Olympic Games.
Along with 80 killed, some 72 people were injured in the protests, said Thubten Samphel, a spokesman for the exiles.
He said the figures were confirmed by multiple sources inside Tibet who had counted corpses. China's state media said 10 people died.
Meanwhile, hundreds of armed police and soldiers patrolled the streets of Lhasa two days after Tibetans torched buildings and stoned Chinese residents.
Hong Kong Cable TV reported some 200 military vehicles, carrying 40 to 60 armed soldiers each, drove into the city center of Lhasa yesterday.
Footage showed the streets were mostly empty other than the security forces. Messages on loudspeakers warned residents to "discern between enemies and friends, maintain order" and "have a clear stand to oppose violence, maintain stability."
The Tibetan spiritual leader, speaking in Dharmsala, the north Indian hill town where Tibet's government-in-exile is based, said "Some respected international organization can find out what the situation is in Tibet and what is the cause."
"Whether the [Chinese] government there admits or not, there is a problem. There is an ancient cultural heritage that is facing serious danger," the Dalai Lama said.
"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some kind of cultural genocide is taking place."
It was not immediately clear if he was referring to China's overall policies in Tibet when he spoke of a genocide, or the recent crackdown.
The violence erupted just two weeks before China's Summer Olympic celebrations kick off with the start of the torch relay, which passes through Tibet. China is gambling that its crackdown will not draw an international outcry over human rights violations that could lead to boycotts of the Olympics.
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