Tibet regional chairman: Situation in Tibet returns to normal

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-09-2008 13:19

The head of Tibet Autonomous Regional government says the situation in Tibet has returned to normal after the riot of March 14th. Qiangba Puncog made the remarks today in Beijing, during a news conference on the situation in Tibet.

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Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Regional government, Qiangba Puncog, says most shops in Tibet have resumed business and students have returned to schools. Meanwhile, tourism sites in Lhasa, including the Potala Palace, have reopened to the public.

He says the riots on March 14th show the violence was premeditated and orchestrated by the Dalai Clique.

He says only a handful of people were involved in beating, smashing, looting and arson in Lhasa, and those criminals cannot represent all Tibetans.

The head of Tibet Autonomous Regional government says the  situation in Tibet has returned to normal after the riot  of March 14th.

Qiangba Puncog said, "After the March 14th riot in Lhasa, Dalai Lama made a series of so called statements, saying the what happened in Lhasa was a peaceful protest and trying to hide the violent nature of the riot. However, with the clear facts in Tibet, he and his statements have already shown that he is the person who plotted the crimes with the aim of separation, to sabotage ethnic relations and induce pressure on China from some western countries."

On the subject of direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the deputy head of the United Front Work Department under the Communist Party of China Central Committee took time to explain to reporters what the Chinese central government requires to negotiate with him.

Si Ta, deputy head of CPPCC United Front Work Department, said, "Premier Wen Jiabao and other state leaders have repeatedly stated the door is open to negotiations with the Dalai Lama as long as he abandons his separatist position, stop separatist activities and publicly acknowledge that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China. The central government has kept in touch with the Dalai Lama with the utmost sincerity and patience. From 1979 to now, the Dalai Lama has dispatched over 20 delegations to China. We invited them to the regions like Yunnan and Guangxi where the ethnic autonomy system is in place. And we also brought them to Guangdong to witness the rapid economic development of China. However, the Dalai Lama didn't show his sincerity, didn't abandon his position on Tibetan independence and didn't stop separatist activities. That's why we have not had any progress in negotiations."

Meanwhile, the head of the Tibet autonomous regional government is expressing his strong confidence in the great success of the Beijing Olympic Games, despite protests by some separatists along the global torch relay route.

He says Tibetans are a kindhearted and rustic people. As one of them, he feels ashamed of those who are trying to sabotage the Beijing Games under the name of Tibet. He says their actions will not dampen the Games, but, instead, will only expose their nature to the public.

Editor:Zhang Ning