Int´l reporters wrap up Lhasa visit

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Source: CCTV.com | 03-29-2008 09:02

A delegation of reporters from 19 international media organizations has wrapped up its visit to Lhasa. They had a first-hand look at the aftermath of the riots that rocked the city two weeks ago.

A delegation of reporters from 19 international media organizations has wrapped up its visit to Lhasa. They had a first-hand look at the aftermath of the riots that rocked the city two weeks ago. (CCTV.com)

Meanwhile, tourism in the regional capital is suffering badly.

Seeing the truth for themselves and hearing the eyewitness accounts. This should be and is now the way for these overseas journalists to prepare for their reports.

Over the past two days, they talked to numerous people, including victims, rioters, witnesses, officials and living Buddas.

This living Buddha is telling the journalists that the monks should not carrying out beating, looting and arsonand those who committed this violence do not have a kind heart.

Also a fist hand look for these journalists at what kind of life Tibetan people would like to lead. In this neighborhood of about one thousand households in downtown Lhasa, all houses were provided by the government.

This 70 year old Tibetan was a serf half a century ago. Now he oversees neighborhood affairs. He says Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and the riots are against their will.

A delegation of reporters from 19 international media organizations has wrapped up its visit to Lhasa. They had a first-hand look at the aftermath of the riots that rocked the city two weeks ago. (CCTV.com)

Two weeks after the riots, local tourism is still feeling the pinch. This five-star hotel used to be bustling with guests, but it now has few visitors.

Hotel Owner, said, "More than 95 percent of our rooms are empty. so far we've lost more than 600 thousand yuan. "

That's eighty five thousand US dollars. Hotel here say they've lost up to seven million yuan, or about one million US dollars. Indirect losses will be in the hundreds of billions yuan.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei