Chinese Premier Condemns Tibet Protesters

Deadline Passes For Rioters To Turn Themselves In

(AP)  China's Premier Wen Jiabao denounced supporters of the Dalai Lama Tuesday as separatists and instigators of anti-Chinese riots in Tibet's capital, after a deadline for the rioters to turn themselves in passed without any apparent surrenders.

Wen's remarks were the highest-level response to last week's rampage in Lhasa, which the government said killed 16 people and injured dozens and which focused world attention on China's human rights record ahead of this summer's Beijing Olympics.

The hardline stance taken by the normally mild-mannered premier underscored the communist leadership's determination to regain control over the region and ensure a smooth run-up to the games.

"There is ample fact - and we also have plenty of evidence - proving that this incident was organized, premeditated, masterminded and incited by the Dalai clique," Wen told reporters at a news conference held at the end of China's national legislative meeting. He gave no details.

"This has all the more revealed that the consistent claims made by the Dalai clique that they pursue not independence but peaceful dialogue are nothing but lies," he said.

Wen underscored that China will only consider dialogue with the Dalai Lama if the exiled spiritual leader was "willing to give up his proposition for so-called Tibetan independence."

"This is the position we have made for dealing with this issue," Wen said, "and this position remains unchanged."

Hours after Monday's midnight deadline for protesters to turn themselves in or face severe punishment, the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia on Tuesday quoted an unnamed witness as saying that authorities in Lhasa had began arresting hundreds of people.

No details were given and the report could not be independently confirmed because of China's tight control over information and ban on trips by foreign reporters.

Police in Lhasa refused to answer any questions.

The Lhasa protests, led by monks, began peacefully March 10 on the anniversary of a failed uprising in 1959 against Chinese rule. Tibet had been effectively independent for decades before Chinese communist troops entered in 1950.

They grew increasingly violent, culminating Friday with widespread street violence in Lhasa. Champa Phuntsok, Tibet's China-appointed governor, said Monday that the death toll from the unrest had risen to 16 and that dozens were injured. He denied a claim by the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile in India that 80 Tibetans died.

Wen said the protesters killed bystanders and smashed public utilities and cars. They also set fire to stores, he said.

"They used extremely cruel means," Wen said. "This incident has seriously disrupted public order and life in Lhasa. This incident has inflicted heavy losses of lives and property of the people in Lhasa."

However, Wen said, Lhasa was returning to normal.

"The situation is quiet and calm, and Lhasa will be reopened to the rest of the world," he said.

An official at the Administrative Department of the city's Communist Party office said Tuesday the city's markets, work places, schools were all back in operation.

"There are no police or troops around our area. But as to whether there are still police sealing off the downtown streets, I am not clear yet," he said. He refused to give his name.

A receptionist at the Tibet International Grand Hotel said there were less police on patrol. "So far there has been no police raid or visit to our hotel," she said.

On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao insisted that Beijing would "unwaveringly protect its national sovereignty and territorial integrity" and accused the Dalai Lama's supporters of being behind sometimes violent demonstrations at Chinese embassies and consulates in the U.S., Europe and Asia since Friday.

On Tuesday in Sydney, Australia's largest city, protesters burned Chinese flags and scuffled with police outside the Chinese consulate.

Protests inside China have spilled from Tibet into neighboring provinces and even the capital, Beijing, where students staged a vigil Monday.

The communist government in Beijing wants to ensure that the Aug. 8-24 Summer Olympics boosts its international image, rather than draw unwelcome attention on its rights record.

"This is a China engaged with the world which is using the Olympics to demonstrate a new openness, and it risks all of that collapsing in on it if it is seen as being the enforcer of a crackdown on Tibetans," said Mark Malloch-Brown, the British Cabinet minister in charge of Asia relations.

But Wen insisted that the Games would be "a grand gathering for people from around the world" and that they should not be politicized - a position often reiterated by China.

Wen also dismissed claims by the exiled Dalai Lama that there was "cultural genocide" taking place in the revered spiritual leader's homeland.

[yongamerica]

G.W. Bush has offered China''s Premier Wen Jiabao to trade Iraq for Tibet. More on this story following the Olympics.

[openminds1-2009]

It''s easy to get swept up in the feelings stirred up by the media portraits of the world, so here are a few facts! Please feel free to GOOGLE them if you really care about the situation!

1. Tibetans make up less than 30% of Lhasa%u2019s population.

2. Tibetans make up one of 56 ethnic groups in China.

3. Tibet GDP grew 12% a year in last four years.

4. Tibet has been a part of China for centuries till WWI, after which, it was united with its motherland again in 1950s.

5. Most Chinese, and Tibetans, do not want their country to be broken apart, I made this one up, but I think it''s understandable.

6. Chinese government held back from public footages of Tibetans looting and beating Han and muslim Chinese citizens to prevent ethnic hatred in China (against the Tibetans).

The list goes on, my point is: Question what you hear!

[tucano2]

Prez Bush and Secy Rice "suggest China have direct talks with the Tibetans". What two-faced idiots these two are. Isn''t that exactly what these two said they''d never do with, say, Iran, and many others with whom they disagree? The real answer of course is to ignore the "suits" and simply reduce or eliminate purchases of "Made in China" to the point the Chinese economy collapses and its stranglehold on Tibet weakens.

[jolievie]

Let BOYCOTT the OLYMPIC and not watching it.

[jeremybowen1]

Richard Gere! Love your living budda!!! Dalai Lama is the 11th incarnation of BUDDA. He lives in the world to save you. Unfortunately, he cannot save himself for being exiled! What a shame! Show me your power man!!! Mr. Budda!

[jeremybowen1]

Dalai lama was granted as a "LIVING BUDDA" by ancient Chinese emperor! He knows it''s only a Joke but he likes to be a living budda. However, he is not!!!! He remembers in his old day that all tibetans WERE his slaves!! Our people are blinded by the media!

[saveamerica1]

China''s genocide of Tibetans is the same as Hitler''s genocide of Jews. History repeats itself. However, this is in the present time. Can we do anything about it?

[andya2008]

Those Tibetans got what they deserved. They are rioters. Just look at the videos online. Do you see any peaceful Tibetans? Any government would put down rioters with force. This is just like the LA riots or the IRA in Northern Ireland. Tibet will always be part of China, the Greater Chinese Empire. For those people who do not appreciate what China has done for this country, you should ask your government, where is your $150 billion tax rebate coming from? Who is lending you this money? By the way, you will be paying it back with interest.

Dalai Lama is terrorist #1. He is just like Osama bin Laden.

[lorinkundert]

All of you Kosovo supporters, where are you now? China took Tibet by force and no one says anything, Serbia always had Kosovo and it gets stolen.

Could it be we have a problem with double standards when we think we have something more to gain from one country over another?

If China can keep Tibet there can be no excuse for Serbia losing Kosovo to a gang of illegals.

[lorinkundert]

Here''s to the European Union and NATO. Thanks for creating a precedent for every wannabe country to rebel against the nations they are a part of, today Kosovo and Tibet, who''s next?

[ici2i]

And this from a country with "most favored" trading nation status? For what ever good it will do, I''ll boycott products made in China. Won''t be much of a sacrifice for anybody who''s concerned about their own health and the health of their electronics due to viruses entering the US from Chinese made plug-ins. While I''m at it, I won''t be watching anything of the Olympics this year either.
Clinton can be thanked for the favored trading status but everything before and since is GW''s fault including the neglect of the Tibetan plight.

[tucano2]

Ordinary people all across the planet have decided to greatly reduce purchases of anything "Made in China". Do the math: 5 Billion non-Chinese spending $10 LESS each month on "Made in China" products results in a huge economic hit. When the Chinese leaders refuse to listen to reason about Tibet then it is time to make them pay attention to their wallets.

[easeup-2009]

So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas. A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I''m a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald... striking. So, I''m on the first tee with him. I give him the driver. He hauls off and whacks one - big hitter, the Lama - long, into a ten-thousand foot crevasse, right at the base of this glacier. Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga... gunga, gunga-galunga. So we finish the eighteenth and he''s gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won''t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin'' for me, which is nice.

[underdogus]

Deafening silence from "freedom-loving" U.S. government Posted by incog-nito ..CHINA IS THE BIG BO$$ NOW...wake up moron....

[alphaa10-2009]

After proclaiming 13 "innocent civilians" died, the PRC puppet governor did his best to finger "outside agitators" as the cause of all the unpleasantness.

And the 80 or so corpses seen by multiple sources are merely another Tibetan nationalist provocation to exaggerate the protest.

Likewise, reports of Tibetans jumping to their deaths suggest they completely misunderstood the situation as Chinese police pursued them for "questioning".

At least, all this is the "official version".

[incog-nito]

Deafening silence from "freedom-loving" U.S. government. Too bad Tibet doesn''t have any oil...