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Stand-off between Tibetans and police in Tibet
defuses a bit, but situation still tense
According to reliable information reaching Dharamsala, it seems that the 200 Tibetans within the police compound, the larger crowd that had gathered to see that no harm came to the 200 Tibetans and the six Tibetans who had entered the police station to open discussions in an effort to calm the situation had either dispersed or were released. At the same time the authorities said that they would not be able to release Runggye Adak who called for Tibetan independence. They said the matter has turned into an international issue and it was beyond the power of the local authorities to come to a decision. They said that officials from Beijing would be coming to Lithang sometime soon and the public could raise the issue of Runggye Adak’s release with the officials of the central authorities. The situation in Lithang flared up on 1 August during the annual horse racing festival in Lithang in Kanze Tibetan autonomous prefecture in present-day Sichuan province, a Tibetan by the name of Runggye Adak went onto the stage and offered greeting scarves to the head of Lithang monastery and to the masses gathered on the occasion. Then through the mike he shouted that His Holiness the Dalai Lama should return to Tibet as soon as possible, that the Panchen Lama ( recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama ) must be released and shouted for Tibetan independence. He also said that Tibetans should not be fighting amongst themselves for petty issues of grass and water and yartsa-ganbu. He asked the crowd whether the thousands of people gathered at the occasion agreed whether they wanted the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the release of the Panchen Lama and independence of Tibet. The whole crowd as one man said that they wanted all these things. As soon as Runggye Adak said this, he was arrested by the members of the People’s Armed Police and taken under their custody. A several thousand people went to the police station. They said that they were at the police station not because they wished to demand the release of Runggye Adak but were at the police station because they wanted to know whether the Tibetan people had the right to air their grievances. The crowd then broke the iron gate and rushed into the compound of the police station. The People’s Armed Police fired some shots in the air to disperse the crowd. It seems no-one was hurt. Anyway, at this stage, some people tore off of their shirts and challenged the police to fire at them. Because the crowd refused to disperse, the Chinese authorities promised the crowd that they would release Runggye Adak by 2 p.m. the next day. On this pledge the crowd dispersed. While on their way back, the crowd shouted that Runggye Adak did not do this for his personal sake but for the cause of the Tibetan people. As such, the crowd shouted that all those who considered themselves Tibetan, those who had faith in His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and those who longed for Tibetan independence must gather the next day ( 2 August) at 2 p.m. on the spot. A large crowed gathered at the police station on 2 August. We have also information that the police have rounded off about 200 Tibetans in the compound of the police station. The police warned the rest of the crowd to disperse or they would shoot the 200 Tibetans, The police themselves were surrounded by a larger crowd. Another contingent of police forces are surrounding the bigger crowd. |
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Last updated: 6-August-2007