Top photograph of Tibetan protesters outside the United Nations building by Mary Altaffer/AP; lower photograph of the riots in Lhasa, Tibet from the AP
Roughly 100 protesters, most of them Tibetans, demonstrated outside the United Nations today against the Chinese government, which has been trying to put down protests and rioting in Lhasa. Three demonstrators were arrested for trying, unsuccessfully, to enter the U.N. and six were arrested for disorderly conduct.
This demonstration coincided with demonstrations around the world and the anniversary of a failed 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule (the Dalai Lama fled the country). Psurbu Tsering of the Tibetan Association of NY and NJ told Newsday the group’s members had heard "70 people had been killed by Chinese authorities" in Tibet, "a thousand people had been arrested" and a lockdown on all monasteries.
There are conflicting reports about the situation, which started on Monday when 50-60 Buddhist monks were arrested during non-violent demonstrations against China's religious restrictions. After two more days of protests, riots broke out after police starting beating the monks and ordinary Tibetans responded by burning shops in Lhasa, according to witnesses. Others claim Tibetans were attacking Chinese residents with iron rods and two police officers had been shot.
The riots point to long-simmering ethnic tensions between native Tibetans and the huge numbers of Chinese migrants who have flooded the region. American citizens are advised not to travel to Lhasa and U.S. Ambassador to China Clark Randt urged Chinese officials to act with restraint with protesters. With China in the spotlight with the Olympics, activists are using the international attention to expose the government’s poor human rights record and calls to boycott the Games have been increasing.
