By David R. Schweisberg
BEIJING: Police firing on Tibetans protesting Chinese rule Sunday, igniting rock throwing and looting that left at least 11 people dead and more than 100 others wounded in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital, official reports and witnesses said.
Police with automatic weapons fired on a small group of peaceful demonstrators then shot at hundreds of protestors who set fires and attacked a police station, said foreign witnesses in Lhasa, reached by telephone from Beijing.
“The police shot straight into crowds,” said a Western German tourist who witnessed the incident from a hotel.
Hundreds of police hurled tear gas as rioting spread through much of the city, witnesses said. The official Xinhua news agency said rioters hurled rocks, looted stores and vandalized government offices.
The witness reports conflicted with the account by Xinhua, which said a protest by Buddhist monks and nuns demanding independence from Beijing turned violent and “separatists” shot at police, forcing officers to return fire.
At least one police officer and 10 demonstrators and onlookers were killed, Xinhua said. More than 40 police were among the more than 100 people wounded, with 11 officers seriously hurt, it said.
The foreigners said the violence and sporadic gunfire persisted well into the evening as rioters destroyed Chinese owned shops.
In October 1987, a violent protest against Chinese communist rule in the Himalayan region erupted, leaving six people officially reported killed.
On March 5, 1988, nine people died in rioting at the end of the Grand Summons prayer festival, the most important annual festival in Tibetan Buddhism. Authorities had cancelled this year’s official festival activities, fearing renewed violence. * Tibetan monks demanding the return of the Dalai l am a, the exiled spiritual leader, have led protests against Beijing. Sunday’s violence came days before the 30th anniversary of a March 10, 1959 uprising against Beijing that was crushed by Chinese Troops, forcing the Dalai l am a into exile in India.
Xinhua and witnesses said 13 dozen Buddhist monks and nuns, carrying banners and chanting “Independence for Tibet!” began the protest in central Lhasa near the Jokhang Temple, the holiest shrine in Tibetan Buddhism and a focal point for protest.
Xinhua said several hundred people joined the march and began hurling stones at the local police station. Within three hours more than 600 protestors marched into a main street, smashing windows, looting stores and hotels and setting fire to furniture, it said.
During the riot, the separatists fired at the policemen,” Xinhua said. “The police were forced to fire shots as no other means could stop the rioters.
Foreign witnesses said the Tibetans were unarmed. They said police took to the station roof during the small protest and opened fire, sparking the violence. Chinese authorities have in previous incidents claimed police were fired on first.
The West German tourist said police armed with automatic rifles and pistols swarmed through the city by the truckload, hurling tear gas at the growing crowds of protesters.
Xinhua said the protestors “made four attacks” on the district government office and the Communist Party Offices, smashed traffic lights, damaged more than 20 police vehicles, and vandalized a primary school.
The news agency said protesters also attacked medical workers trying to help the wounded, injuring an ambulance driver.
Although Tibet is recognized as part of China, many of the 2 million Tibetans resent communist rule and hope for the return of the Dalai l am a from India.
Tibet has been tense since the Panchen Lama, the second highest ranking figure in Tibetan Buddhism, died of a heart attack in late January. He was a key mediator between officials in Beijing and Tibetans militants.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 10, 1989
