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China denies Tibet death reports China 'holds Tibetan dissidents'
(about 3 hours later)
A senior Chinese official has denied that troops used lethal force to quell protests in Tibet's main city, Lhasa. Security forces in the Tibetan city of Lhasa are rounding up dissidents, exiled Tibetans say, as a deadline approaches for protesters to surrender.
Qiangba Puncog, the Tibetan regional governor, insisted calm was returning to Lhasa, as a deadline for protesters to hand themselves in approached. China has given demonstrators in the city until midnight (1600 GMT) to give themselves up or face punishment.
Thirteen "innocent civilians" had been killed in the protests, he said. Exiled Tibetan leaders say at least 80 protesters died in a Chinese crackdown. Dozens are feared dead after days of rioting in Lhasa, with each side accusing the other of excessive force.
His comments follow reports of protests spreading to neighbouring provinces. Other parts of China also saw rallies on the weekend, while Tibetans in Nepal and India are continuing to protest.
Rights groups say several people were killed when police and Tibetan protesters clashed in Aba, Sichuan province on Sunday. Protests were also reported in Gansu province. Qiangba Puncog, the Tibetan regional governor, said 13 "innocent civilians" had been killed by mobs in Lhasa.
China has given Tibetans involved in the protests a deadline of midnight on Monday (1600 GMT) to surrender to police. He blamed the unrest on outside forces including Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who heads the Tibetan government-in-exile from India.
The Dalai Lama has called for an international inquiry into China's crackdown, while Western leaders have called for restraint. Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said he was "very concerned" about the situation. TIBET DIVIDE China says Tibet was always part of its territoryTibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th century1950: China launched a military assaultOpposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7300157.stm">International reaction class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7299410.stm">Tibet adds to Olympic woes class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7299221.stm">Q&A: China and Tibet
'Not fired' "The Dalai group and some other people in Western countries look at the beating, burning and smashing activities in the riots in Lhasa as peaceful demonstrations," he said.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Mr Qiangba said that security forces "did not carry or use any lethal weapons". "No democratic country in the world will tolerate this kind of crime."
"I can tell you as a responsible official that guns were absolutely not fired," he said. The exiled Tibetan government says at least 80 protesters died in the Chinese crackdown.
TIBET DIVIDE China says Tibet always part of its territoryTibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before 20th century1950: China launched a military assaultOpposition to Chinese rule led to bloody uprising in 1959Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7299221.stm">Q&A: China and Tibet class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7299546.stm">In pictures: Lhasa tense Spokesman Tenzin Takhla said the security forces had regained control of the city and it was impossible for anyone to hold a rally there at the moment.
Mobs killed 13 people and injured 61 members of the security forces, he said. Fires were started at more than 300 locations, including 214 shops. He said there were house-to-house searches going on and a number of former political prisoners were reported to have been detained again.
He blamed the violence on the "Dalai [Lama] clique" and urged Tibetans involved in the protests to give themselves up. One Lhasa resident told the BBC late on Sunday that there was a heavy police presence in the city - but signs of normal life had returned.
"If these people can provide further information about those involved, then they could be treated more leniently." "The schools are now open and children are going to school but shops are still closed as lots have been damaged and burned," he said.
But those who had committed serious crimes would be "harshly" punished, he said. Rocks hurled
Exiled Tibetan leaders say at least 80 people were killed in Lhasa in monk-led anti-China protests that began on 10 March - the anniversary of a Tibetan uprising - and gradually intensified. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Sichuan province, rights groups say seven people were killed when security forces opened fire on Tibetan protesters in the city of Aba on Sunday.
On Friday, demonstrators in Lhasa set fire to Chinese-owned shops and hurled rocks at local police, triggering a crackdown. And in Machu, Gansu province, a protester told the BBC a crowd of people set government buildings on fire on Sunday.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire in the city and the presence of large numbers of Chinese troops. Television footage showed burnt-out shops and streets filled with debris. Groups of people also took down the Chinese flag and set it on fire, replacing it with the Tibetan flag, he said.
Early on Monday a man from Lhasa told the BBC that shops were still closed and a heavy police presence remained. Smaller protests were reported elsewhere in Gansu and Tibet.
But state TV had announced that the situation was under control and schools were open, he said.
Protests spreading
Unrest was also reported in nearby provinces over the weekend.
Eyewitness: Lhasa 'in cinders'Send us your commentsEyewitness: Lhasa 'in cinders'Send us your comments
Witnesses said police fired on about 1,000 monks protesting in Aba, Sichuan on Sunday. Reliable reports put the death toll at seven, Kate Saunders of the International Campaign for Tibet said. China has given Tibetans involved in the Lhasa protests a deadline of midnight on Monday local time to surrender to police.
In Machu, Gansu province, hundreds of protesters marched on government buildings and set fire to Chinese businesses, Reuters reported, quoting the Free Tibet Campaign. The Dalai Lama has called for an international inquiry into China's crackdown, while Western leaders have called for restraint.
Smaller protests were reported elsewhere in the province. Anti-China rallies began on 10 March - the anniversary of a Tibetan uprising - and gradually intensified.
In an interview with the BBC, Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said he feared there would be more deaths unless Beijing changed its policies towards Tibet. On Friday, demonstrators in Lhasa set fire to Chinese-owned shops and hurled rocks at local police, triggering a crackdown.
"It has become really very, very tense. Now today and yesterday, the Tibetan side is determined. The Chinese side also equally determined. So that means, the result: killing, more suffering," he said. The unrest comes as preparations for this year's Olympic Games in Beijing are well advanced.
China has already faced calls for boycotts over its policies in Africa, and Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said he was "very concerned" about the situation in Tibet.
China says Tibet has always been part of its territory. But Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before the 20th Century and many Tibetans remain loyal to the Dalai Lama, who fled in 1959.China says Tibet has always been part of its territory. But Tibet enjoyed long periods of autonomy before the 20th Century and many Tibetans remain loyal to the Dalai Lama, who fled in 1959.
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