China/Tibet: Tensions Remain High in Lhasa

No Comments | April 2nd, 2008 | Trackback

Facing international censure over its repression of dissent in Tibet and in heavily Tibetan areas of Gansu province, the Chinese government is doing its best to blame the recent protests on the Dalai Lama while showing that the situation is calm in Lhasa. It allowed foreign diplomats in for a tightly-controlled two-day visit but did not allow them to conduct unsupervised interviews. Reports of another protest in Lhasa emerged soon after the diplomats departed March 29, but it was not clear if the protest caused a security check or if rumors of a security check created panic. Tensions remain high in the city, and will likely remain high as the Olympic torch makes its way to Tibet, and especially if it is carried to the summit of Mt. Everest in May as planned. Currently, foreign tourists are not permitted to enter Tibet, and when the ban will be lifted remains uncertain.