06 September 2007
Local Tibetan officials replaced in Lithang
RFA reports that Chinese authorities in the Tibetan region of Lithang are removing ethnic Tibetan officials and replacing them with Chinese officials, in a crackdown on suspected separatism after recent disturbances. Local sources told Radio Free Asia’s (RFA) Tibetan service that thousands of armed police have been drafted into the area. The official Ganzi Daily News has reported that authorities in Lithang are launching a range of new measures to address instability, including more aggressive gathering of intelligence, pre-emptive resolution of disputes and stepped-up criticism of the Dalai Lama as part of a "high tide of anti-splittist struggle". Authorities have also forbidden any discussion of Ronggyal Adak, whose arrest sparked the original protests. An RFA source said: "If anyone does talk or initiates actions in support of him, they could face jail terms of between three and 10 years, depending on the extent of their involvement".