Questions, answers about casualties, damages of recent riots

Source: Xinhua | 03-26-2008 10:32

BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The recent riots in Tibet Autonomous Region, Sichuan and Gansu Provinces have hit the headlines across the world. Some questions and answers about the casualties and damages:

Q: How many people were killed or injured in Lhasa?

A: Eighteen civilians and one police officer were killed in the Lhasa unrest, and 623 people including 241 police and armed police were injured.

Q: Who are among the victims of the Lhasa unrest?

A: An arson attack at a shop named Yishion saw five female sales assistants, aged around 20, burnt to death, while another arson attack at a motorbike shop caused the deaths of five people, including an eight-month-old boy and his parents.

In a separate incident Zuo Yuancun, a 1.7-meter-tall man, was burnt to death, in another incident, a migrant worker was stabbed. In another case, a woman was severely beaten and her ear was sliced off.

A doctor named Losang Cering was assaulted by knife-wielding rioters when successfully saving a six-year-old boy who had been trampled and suffocated.

The rioters scooped a fist-sized chunk flesh from the buttocks of Liu Dingwei, a young police officer.

Q: What is the cost of the damage in Lhasa?

A: Damage is estimated at more than 244 million yuan (about 34 million U.S. dollars).

Q: What is the casualty total in Gansu?

The riot in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gannan in northwest China's Gansu Province saw 94 people injured, including 64 police, 27 armed police, two government officials and one civilian.

Q: What is the cost of the damage in Gansu?

A: Damage is estimated at 230 million yuan.

Beating, smashing, looting and arson occurred in the counties of Xiahe, Maqu, Luqu and Jone and Hezuo City of Gannan.

Nearly all the shops in a street in Maqu were smashed, and many were torched. The street was covered with bricks, stones and glass fragments.

In the county seat of Xiahe, windows were broken. In Amuquhu town, Xiahe, not only windows of the local government, police bureau, health center and judiciary office were broken, but also trees in the police bureau were chopped down and televisions smashed.

Q: What are the casualties and damages in Sichuan?

A: One policeman was killed and several others injured in the latest assault in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province on March 24.

A group of rioters attacked the armed police officers on duty with knives and stones, forcing the police to fire warning shots, local officials said.

The total number of casualties and the cost of the damage caused by riot in Aba County, Sichuan, have yet to be determined.

Rioters, carrying rocks and home-made petrol bombs or waving the flag of the "Tibetan-government-in-exile", attacked government offices, including the county government office building, police stations, hospitals, schools, shops and markets.

They also torched houses and shops, burnt a dozen vehicles, and beat civilians, police and government officials.

Editor:Zhang Ning