Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHENGDU210
2007-08-06 09:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Chengdu
Cable title:
SECURITY FORCES STEP UP PRESENCE IN LITANG FOLLOWING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L CHENGDU 000210
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/6/2032
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CH
SUBJECT: SECURITY FORCES STEP UP PRESENCE IN LITANG FOLLOWING
DISTURBANCE AT TIBETAN FESTIVAL
REF: A) CHENGDU 206 B) CHENGDU 195
CLASSIFIED BY: James A. Boughner, Consul General, U.S. Consulate
General , Chengdu.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CHENGDU 000210
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/6/2032
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CH
SUBJECT: SECURITY FORCES STEP UP PRESENCE IN LITANG FOLLOWING
DISTURBANCE AT TIBETAN FESTIVAL
REF: A) CHENGDU 206 B) CHENGDU 195
CLASSIFIED BY: James A. Boughner, Consul General, U.S. Consulate
General , Chengdu.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Several local contacts in Litang told us August 6 that
People's Armed Police (PAP) personnel are out in force
throughout the town and its surrounding county following a
protest that occurred August 1 at the annual Litang Horse Race
Festival when a Tibetan nomad, Runggye Adak, seized a microphone
at the event and called for the return of the Dalai Lama (see
ref a). The contacts were unaware of any subsequent detentions
other than that of Runggye Adak, but claimed a crowd of up to
200 people could still be seen outside of the police station in
which he is held.
2. (C) Our contacts said they expect local security officials
will likely try to disburse the crowd "peacefully," but added it
would probably be best to "stay out of Litang" until the
situation is resolved. One contact also remarked that
"numerous" foreign tourists are currently visiting Litang. None
of our contacts had heard a rumor we picked up in Chengdu from
an ethnic Tibetan that a bomb had exploded in downtown Litang
over the weekend and were not aware of any such incident.
3. (C) During a August 2 diplomatic function in Chengdu, CG
raised the subject of Litang with Sichuan Province Foreign
Affairs Office (FAO) Deputy Director Tan Xin. Tan said he knew
there had been "problems" earlier in the summer in other parts
of Ganzi Prefecture (ref b),but claimed to be unaware of a
disturbance in Litang. CG reminded Tan that any heavy-handed
crackdown or arrests would likely, among other things, not be
very conducive to Sichuan's efforts to promote tourism in Ganzi
or other western areas of the province. CG also highlighted for
Tan the presence of foreign tourists in Litang.
--------------
Comments
--------------
4. (C) Our current information on Litang remains fragmentary as
contacts obviously are hesitant to share details openly over the
phone. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported August 3
that Runggye Adak was detained in Litang for "inciting the
separation of nationalities," but claimed that 200 villagers who
had surrounded his detention center were "unaware of facts" and
dispersed of their own accord on August 2 after talking with
local government officials and police. Post will continue to do
its best to monitor, but notes that Litang is a relatively
isolated and high-altitude area (over 14,000 feet),not
accessible by air, and approximately a two-day drive from
Chengdu.
BOUGHNER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/6/2032
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CH
SUBJECT: SECURITY FORCES STEP UP PRESENCE IN LITANG FOLLOWING
DISTURBANCE AT TIBETAN FESTIVAL
REF: A) CHENGDU 206 B) CHENGDU 195
CLASSIFIED BY: James A. Boughner, Consul General, U.S. Consulate
General , Chengdu.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Several local contacts in Litang told us August 6 that
People's Armed Police (PAP) personnel are out in force
throughout the town and its surrounding county following a
protest that occurred August 1 at the annual Litang Horse Race
Festival when a Tibetan nomad, Runggye Adak, seized a microphone
at the event and called for the return of the Dalai Lama (see
ref a). The contacts were unaware of any subsequent detentions
other than that of Runggye Adak, but claimed a crowd of up to
200 people could still be seen outside of the police station in
which he is held.
2. (C) Our contacts said they expect local security officials
will likely try to disburse the crowd "peacefully," but added it
would probably be best to "stay out of Litang" until the
situation is resolved. One contact also remarked that
"numerous" foreign tourists are currently visiting Litang. None
of our contacts had heard a rumor we picked up in Chengdu from
an ethnic Tibetan that a bomb had exploded in downtown Litang
over the weekend and were not aware of any such incident.
3. (C) During a August 2 diplomatic function in Chengdu, CG
raised the subject of Litang with Sichuan Province Foreign
Affairs Office (FAO) Deputy Director Tan Xin. Tan said he knew
there had been "problems" earlier in the summer in other parts
of Ganzi Prefecture (ref b),but claimed to be unaware of a
disturbance in Litang. CG reminded Tan that any heavy-handed
crackdown or arrests would likely, among other things, not be
very conducive to Sichuan's efforts to promote tourism in Ganzi
or other western areas of the province. CG also highlighted for
Tan the presence of foreign tourists in Litang.
--------------
Comments
--------------
4. (C) Our current information on Litang remains fragmentary as
contacts obviously are hesitant to share details openly over the
phone. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported August 3
that Runggye Adak was detained in Litang for "inciting the
separation of nationalities," but claimed that 200 villagers who
had surrounded his detention center were "unaware of facts" and
dispersed of their own accord on August 2 after talking with
local government officials and police. Post will continue to do
its best to monitor, but notes that Litang is a relatively
isolated and high-altitude area (over 14,000 feet),not
accessible by air, and approximately a two-day drive from
Chengdu.
BOUGHNER