CHINA / AUSTRALIA: China defends its security clampdown in Tibet while Australia calls for restraint

Record ID: 559583

  • Title: CHINA / AUSTRALIA: China defends its security clampdown in Tibet while Australia calls for restraint
  • Date: 17th March 2008
  • Summary: (W1) BEIJING, CHINA (MARCH 17, 2008) (REUTERS) OFFICIALS SITTING AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) QINGBA PINGCUO, GOVERNMENT CHIEF IN TIBET, SAYING: "What I am indignant at is that the Dalai Lama's followers and some people in Western countries look at the beatings, looting, burning and smashing activity of these rioters and say they are staging a peaceful protest and while we have been handling this incident which has seriously jeopardised the lives, property, safety and public order of the local people in accordance with the law, they say we are suppressing a peaceful protest. It's just baffling how these people can confound black and white like this and I want to challenge these people to answer me, which democratic country in the world, under the rule of law, could tolerate this behaviour." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) QINGBA PINGCUO, GOVERNMENT CHIEF IN TIBET, SAYING: "I can tell you, officially, that we have used no lethal weapons while handling the incident, I know there are a lot of rumours, some media organisations have reported 30, 50 even 80 people killed but I can tell you that these are just baseless reports." CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) QINGBA PINGCUO, GOVERNMENT CHIEF IN TIBET, SAYING: "As for those protesters who died, there were few individuals who resisted arrest, for example three of them jumped off a building while resisting arrest." STREET WITH CARS PASSENGERS ON THE STREET LING YU, A BEIJING RESIDENT, LOOKING AT NEWSPAPER
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAXJW3NVWWYPGRDJ9PRZO87TZL
  • Story Text: SCRIPT: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday (March 17) defined the most recent developments in Tibet as disturbing and called Chinese authorities to exercise restraint over the issue.

    "These most recent developments in Tibet are disturbing and from my point of view I would call up on the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint. Australia has always recognised from the beginning Chinese sovereignty over Tibet but these are significant developments and therefore be the subject of communication diplomatically between the governments and I imagine that those communications will continue," said Rudd in Canberra during a news conference.
    Tibetans and their supporters held noisy demonstrations over the weekend against a Chinese crackdown on in Lhasa which the contested region's government-in-exile said claimed 80 lives.
    The reports of high casualties came after protests by Buddhist monks in Tibet turned violent in what were the largest demonstrations in nearly two decades against Beijing's 57-year rule over Tibet.
    Tibet's government chief defended China's actions in stamping out riots in the Himalayan region.
    He also quashed suggestions that the broader unrest was fuelled by a feeling among Tibetans of being marginalised by Han Chinese, whose numbers in the region are growing.
    Qingba Pingcuo fought back against the Dalai Lama's calls for what he termed a cultural genocide over the weekend.

    "What I am indignant at is that the Dalai Lama clique and some people in Western countries look at the beatings, looting, burning and smashing activity of these rioters and say they are staging a peaceful protest and while we have been handling this incident which has seriously jeopardised the lives property, safety and public order of the local people in accordance with the law, they say we are suppressing a peaceful protest. Its just baffling how these people can confound black and white like this and I want to challenge these people to answer me, which democratic country in the world, under the rule of law, could tolerate this behaviour," he said.
    Chinese security forces exercised "massive restraint" in their response to riots in Tibet last week, the region's governor said on Monday, but he promised harsh punishment for those involved in the violent unrest.

    "I can tell you, officially, that we have used no lethal weapons while handling the incident, I know there lot of rumours, some media organisations have reported 30, 50 even 80 people killed but I can tell you that these are just baseless reports," Qingba said.
    Tibet's government has set a midnight deadline for those who took part in the protests that he said had killed 13 "innocent civilians".
    Those who complied and showed remorse would be treated leniently, and possibly punished with "re-education, but others could expect harsher treatment", Qingba said.
    Dozens of security personnel were injured after days of protests by Buddhist monks broadened on Friday (March 14) into riots involving the general population in which houses and shops were burned and looted.
    Exiled representatives of Tibet in Dharamsala, India, where the Dalai Lama fled after a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule, said 80 were killed in the protests. But Qiangba said calm was returning to Lhasa after the protests, he admitted some rioters had been killed.

    "As for those protesters who died, there were few individuals who resisted arrest, for example three of them jumped off a building while resisting arrest," he said.
    Tibet was "in its best shape ever" in terms of social and economic development, Qiangba said, adding that a small group he described as lawless resorted to "extreme and radical means".
    He said shops in Lhasa had reopened and life was returning to normal but at the same time he said the government had advised foreign media and foreign nationals to stay away. Foreigners require permits to travel to the remote, mountainous region.
    As the Tibetan uprisings in Lhasa are brutally shut down and the city sealed off, many ethnic Chinese have shown support for the government's response.
    The reaction from many Chinese on the other side of the country in Beijing reflected the importance of stability and unity to the people of a country turbulent history.

    "The Communist Party has been promoting a "harmonious society". They will not take extreme measures on those protesters. But if there is a small group of people with ulterior motives who want to create trouble, in my point of view, as for any ruling party who wants to consolidate his power, will do those things to suppress the riots," Said Ling Yu, a 54 year old Industry employee.
    Tibet is one of several potential flashpoints for the ruling Communist party at a time of heightened attention on China ahead of the Olympic Games.
    However, Beijing resident Bai Yunfeng does not believe that the events will affect the forthcoming Olympics in August.

    "This issue will probably not affect the Olympics. After all, the Olympic Games is an international event. The Chinese government will handle this matter. This will not have a huge influence on (the Olympics)," he said.
    Despite the calm now in Lhasa, China was facing broader unrest in ethnic Tibetan enclaves across its western provinces, where protests and marches on government buildings have taken place.
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