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Foreign diplomats visit Lhasa after riot
30/3/2008 10:19

A 15-member diplomat delegation visited Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, on Friday and yesterday, the first group of foreign diplomats to visit the plateau city after the March 14 riot.

Their tight agenda included talking with a monk at the Jokhang Temple and meeting with Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet regional government.

Yesterday morning, the delegation came to the Jokhang Temple and talked with a monk of the temple.

The diplomats came from Beijing-based embassies and diplomatic missions of Brazil, Japan, Germany, Canada, European Union, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Singapore, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Russia and the United States.

Upon arrival on Friday afternoon, the delegation went to the burnt Yishion Clothes Store on the Beijing Middle Road in downtown Lhasa where five young girls were burnt to death in the riot.

The shop boss and a girl who survived the fire answered questions from the diplomats. The survived girl told in detail what had happened in the afternoon of March 14, as foreign diplomats required.

The delegation's buses passed through the Beijing Middle Road, Qingnian Road, North and East Linkuo roads on which some shops and institutions were smashed, looted and burnt by the rioters. Then they arrived at the Second Middle School of Lhasa which was partially burnt in the riot.

The schoolmaster talked about the whole process of how rioters burnt school buildings and their efforts to evacuate students and teachers.

George Manongi, minister of the Tanzanian embassy in China, said he felt very sad while seeing the burnt houses and wounded innocent people.

"Those 'peaceful protests' were in fact ended up with violence. No government will tolerate this," he said.

Qiangba Puncog met with the delegation Friday evening.

He told the diplomats that the March 14 violent incidents were created by the "Tibet independence" forces and organized, premeditated and masterminded by the current Dalai clique with the vicious intention of undermining the upcoming Beijing Olympics and splitting Tibet from the motherland.

He said police authorities had detained 414 suspects being involved in the beating, smashing, ransacking and arson incidents, and another 289 turned themselves in. Among them, 111 had been released for minor offence.

The Public Security Bureau of Lhasa had issued a "most wanted" list hunting for 53 suspects and post their images on major Internet portals, including yahoo.com and sina.com. Among the 53 suspects, six had turned themselves in, and four had been arrested, Qiangba Puncog said.

So far, at least 18 civilians, including an eight-month infant, and one police officer had been confirmed killed in the Lhasa unrest, which also saw 382 injuries. Damage was estimated at about250 million yuan (US$35.21 million), according to the regional government chairman, adding that no foreigners had been hurt in the unrest.

Oswaldo Biato Jr, minister counselor of Brazilian Embassy in China and head of the delegation, expressed his gratitude to Qiangba Puncog for his meeting.

He said all the delegates were glad to be here, as it was a good chance to collect first-hand information.

During his meeting with the delegation, Qiangba Puncog also urged Tibetan monks to stay out of politics, saying, "Politics is not in line with Buddhism doctrines."

Counsellor of the Slovenian Embassy in China Bernard Srajner said he was satisfied at Qiangba Puncog's remarks. What he saw after arriving Lhasa showed that "it is a normal city."

Gregory May, secondary secretary from the United States Embassy in China, called the trip "a step in the right direction."

Yesterday morning, the delegation visited wounded police and other patients at local hospitals.

The diplomats also talked with ordinary Tibetans whose lives have been severely affected by the March 14 riot, as well as some foreigners who live in Lhasa.

The diplomats returned to Beijing late yesterday evening.

The trip was arranged by China's Foreign Ministry and the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region.