ecurity ordered to "strike hard" in Lhasa; video released of protest

2012. január 31./Tibet Society/TibetPress

[31 January] As Lhasa's senior official ordered increased security measures in Lhasa to prevent protests, video footage of last week's demonstration in Dzamthang, which resulted in one death, has been obtained by exiled sources.

Qi Zhala, Lhasa's Communist Party Secretary, called for the police and security forces to increase their surveillance in and around Lhasa to prevent further unrest and warned senior lamas they would be dismissed if trouble arose.

In a speech published on the Lhasa government website Mr Qi said, "We must strike hard at all the separatist, destructive and criminal activities of the Dalai clique and make efforts to realise our goal of not letting any incident, big or small, occur."

Mr Qi added, "Lhasa officials and functionaries at all levels, especially the police, must increase... efforts to rationally dispatch police forces and step up registration and inspection work along national roads, at key monasteries and among leading suspects."

r Qi's statement comes following protests in eastern Tibet last week, at least three of which resulted in the police opening fire and killing protestors. At least three Tibetans have been confirmed dead, with other fatalities feared. Security clampdowns and increased military presence has been reported throughout eastern Tibet, and in Tibetan neighbourhoods of Chengdu in Sichuan province (pictured right - from AFP, dated 27 January 2012).

Video footage from one of last week's protests has been obtained by exile sources. The footage, available on Radio Free Asia's website, shows hundreds of Tibetans gathered outside a police station in Dzamthang county (Sichuan province) and shouting slogans. The protest, which took place on 26 January, resulted in the Chinese police opening fire on the crowd and killing a 20-year old Tibetan male called Urgen.