76 people convicted over Lhasa violence

LHASA, Feb. 11 (Chinese media) -- Courts in Tibet have so

far meted out sentences to 76 people involved in the March 14 riot last year in

the capital city of Lhasa, a senior Tibetan official said.

Nyima Cering, vice chairman of the standing committee

of the Tibet regional People's Congress, made the remarks at a press conference

Tuesday night.

Nyima Cering, vice chairman of the

standing committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress,

answers questions at a press conference on Feb. 10, 2009 in Lhasa,

Tibet.(Chinese media Photo)
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Gallery

The plateau city of Lhasa was rocked by serious

rioting on March 14 last year, which was two weeks before the traditional

Tibetan New Year.

He said the riot seriously affected China's

sovereignty. "Any responsible government will surely resort to necessary means

to safeguard its Constitution and sovereignty," he said.

He said the government had kept the maximum restraint

and did not use anti-personnel weapons in handling the incident.

"Tibetan people are enjoying a good life now. There

is no reason for them to forgo celebrating their traditional holiday this year,"

he said, in response to an underground campaign by some secessionists to boycott

the festival to "mourn the dead of 2008."

There will be a week-long public holiday, starting on

Feb. 23, in Tibet to celebrate the Tibetan New Year.

"Everything is back on track. Religious events have

remained normal," said the Tibetan official.

Non Gyal, a monk from the Johkang Temple, attended

the press conference. He said he was "misled by a group of people" to disrupt a

media group, falsifying authorities had killed more than100 people in Lhasa

during the riot last year.

"I was neither taken into custody nor punished. My

life and religious study have been normal," said the monk.

Tibet Vice mayor Cao Bianjiang said at the press

conference that the city has taken security measures to combat sabotage attempts

a year after the March 14 riots.

Video: 414 riots suspects held in

custody
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He also said that the government has reflected on the

cause of the incident and meanwhile taken measures to comfort and assist those

who were affected in the violence and to restore order in life and production.

"We hope for peace and stability in Lhasa. However,

some people don't want to see Lhasa enjoy economic growth and people enjoy happy

life," he said.

Nyima Cering reiterated his indignation that certain

foreign governments, disregarding bilateral ties and Chinese people's feelings,

conferred honor and titles on the Dalai Lama.

"They are merely using the Dalai Lama as a tool to

encourage secessionist activities against China," he said, noting such acts have

seriously interfered in China's internal affairs and damaged bilateral

relations.

"It will do no good to their friendly relations with

China and the Chinese people," he said.

Senior procurator: People engaged in

Lhasa unrest will be dealt with according to law

Sun Qian, deputy procurator-general of

the Supreme People's Procuratorate, answers questions during a press

conference on "judicial justice" in Beijing, capital of China, March 15,

2008. (Chinese media Photo)
Photo

Gallery

BEIJING, March 15 (Chinese media) -- China's judicial organ

will properly deal with the people who engaged themselves in creating unrest in

Lhasa according to law, said Sun Qian, deputy procurator-general of the Supreme

People's Procuratorate, on Saturday. Full story

Armed police rescue 580 people from Lhasa

riot

LHASA, March 15

(Chinese media) -- Armed police in Lhasa have rescued more than 580 people, including

three Japanese tourists, from banks, supermarkets, schools and hospitals that

were set alight by violent saboteurs, sources with the Tibet Autonomous Region

government said on Saturday. Full story

Lhasa calm after riot, traffic control

imposed

LHASA, March 15 (Chinese media) -- After a day of rioting

that killed 10 people on Friday, Lhasa reported no new incidents of violence on

Saturday in the Tibetan regional capital.

Friday's riot involved beatings, vandalism, looting

of shops and arson orchestrated by the Dalai clique, disturbing 18 years of

tranquility in the city.Full

story