Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BEIJING975
2008-03-14 12:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

REPORTS OF VIOLENCE, RIOTING IN LHASA, TIBET

Tags:  PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF NP IN CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5128
OO RUEHAG RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHROV RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0975/01 0741213
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 141213Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5822
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0888
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000975 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2028
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF NP IN CH
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF VIOLENCE, RIOTING IN LHASA, TIBET

REF: BEIJING 973

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey
Carlson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000975

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2028
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KIRF NP IN CH
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF VIOLENCE, RIOTING IN LHASA, TIBET

REF: BEIJING 973

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey
Carlson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) ConGen Chengdu and Embassy Beijing have
received numerous accounts of serious violence and
rioting in Lhasa March 14. The Ambassador raised USG
concerns over these reports with Vice Foreign Minister
Zhang Yesui on March 14 and urged the Government to
exercise restraint (reftel). Riots reportedly started
around 12:30 p.m. local time March 14, according to
several observers, following several days of tense
interaction between protesters and local security
forces. The Tibetan quarter around the Jokhang Temple
has seen the worst violence, according to foreign
contacts in Lhasa. Americans and Europeans in Lhasa
have provided numerous accounts of gunshots,
overturned cars and burning buildings. Several
observers report groups of Tibetans setting fire to
Han Chinese-owned businesses. An ABC reporter told us
of tanks deployed in front of Potala Palace. One
Norwegian tourist described thick black smoke rising
above Lhasa to the point of blocking views of the
Potala Palace. Another has heard unconfirmed
rumors of deaths and injuries, but neither ConGen
Chengdu nor Embassy Beijing has confirmed
reports of casualties. Most foreigners appear to be
taking refuge in hotels. Beijing ACS issued a warden
message March 14. We have received no reports of
Americans being either injured or arrested. On March
13, the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) Foreign Affairs
Office denied permission for a ConGen Chengdu trip to
Lhasa. We will continue to press to visit the TAR.
End Summary.

Ambassdor Raises Concern with VFM Zhang Yesui
--------------


2. (C) In a March 14 meeting, the Ambassador raised
USG concerns over reports of escalating violence in
and around Lhasa with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang
Yesui (reftel). VFM Zhang blamed the unrest on the
"Dalai Lama clique." The Ambassador urged the Chinese
government to exercise restraint.


Numerous Amcit and Foreign Accounts of Rioting
-------------- -


3. (C) ConGen Chengdu officers spoke with an Amcit
resident of Lhasa (protect) who runs a coffee shop
near the Barkhor area of the Tibetan quarter. He said
that he was "locked down" inside the shop with about
seven Amcits. He also said that he had been witness
to the beginnings of today's incident at about 12:30 p.m.
Looing out of an upstairs window near an area know
to be about two or three blocks from JokhangTemple in
the center of the city, he saw a mo of about 500-
1,000 "Tibetan ly people" form a road block across
Beijing Road, one of Lhasa's main avenues. A line of
People's Armed Police (PAP) officers formed nearby,
the Amcit said, and the Tibetan crowd responded by
throwing stones, bricks and other objects, after which
the police broke and ran. Later the Amcit witnessed
monks and lay people throwing stones and burning cars
while police retreated.

Rumors of Deaths, But No Confirmations
--------------


4. (C) Customers coming into the Amcit's coffee shop
have told him that there are "deaths everywhere."
Some have told him of Han Chinese being pulled from
cars and beaten. One of his Tibetan employees told
him that a downtown TV tower had been burned. Others
reported Chinese "being taken from homes and shops and
killed" -- one employee told him about this happening
to his next-door neighbor. According to these
Tibetans, rioters are tying white katas (Tibetan
greeting scarves) to the doorknobs of Tibetan-owned
businesses to spare them from destruction. A vanload
of Tibetan policemen came into his shop asking for
civilian clothes.


5. (C) Another Amcit called Chengdu ACS from Lhasa to
say that the military, not police, had fired shots.

BEIJING 00000975 002 OF 003


She said there were several Amcits hunkered down with
her. An Amcit in Lhasa said that the action was in
the center of town, not in East Lhasa. One Amcit told
ACS that there are tanks in the street.

Burning of Han Chinese Businesses
--------------


6. (C) Beijing PolOff spoke with a Norwegian tourist
(protect) at the Kyichu Hotel (protect) who said
rioting started at approximately 12:30 p.m. local
time. The Norwegian said rioters burned Chinese
businesses in the immediate vicinity of the hotel
(about 7 minutes walk from the Jokhang Temple). He
said the Potala Palace (a 20-minute walk from the
Kyichu) was invisible from the hotel roof because the
"sky is totally black" with smoke. Tibetans, he said,
were piling chairs and other items into the streets.
The tourist had heard gunfire during the day, but at
5:30 p.m. Beijing time, he said things "calmed down."
PolOff spoke with an Australian citizen and U.S.
permanent resident, a worker for a U.S.-based health
NGO, whose account tracked with that of other foreign
observers. The Australian said rioting was occurring
around the Jokhang Temple/Tibet quarter. He said he
was hunkering down in his room at the Flora Hotel and
staff at the Flora had locked all doors and were
trying to protect the hotel. Several foreign sources
described Lhasa streets as being devoid of cars. One
Amcit reported tanks were in the streets, while an ABC
reporter claimed tanks were deployed in front of
Potala Palace. The coffee shop owner said tear gas
was in the air outside his business.

No Reports of Amcit Injuries/Arrests
--------------


7. (U) Beijing ACS unit issued a warden message March
14 warning Amcits of violence in Lhasa.


8. (C) The American coffee shop owner knew of no
Amcits having been arrested or injured, or otherwise
involved in the violence. Beijing ACS received
reports that approximately 25 foreigners were taking
refugee in the Yak Hotel (a popular backpacker hotel)
but is unable to confirm whether this group includes
Americans. German Embassy officer Ingrid Jung
(protect) collaborated reports of foreigners at the
Yak Hotel, saying the group consisted of mainly
Australian and German tourists. Beijing PolOff was
unable to get through by phone to the Yak Hotel.

Communications Difficult
--------------


9. (C) Telephone communications with Lhasa have been
very difficult with constant busy signals or dropped
lines. ConGenOffs and EmbOffs had somewhat better
luck getting through on cellphones.

Account from Economist Reporter
--------------


10. (C) British Embassy officer Simon Sharpe (protect)
has been in contact with an Economist reporter who is
on the ground in Lhasa. According to the reporter,
whom Sharpe did not name, the center of Lhasa and the
downtown area are experiencing "an orgy of violence."
The reporter says he has witnessed "Tibetans starting
fires and throwing stones on a wide scale." Tibetan
attacks, he said, are directed at "everything Chinese"
including cars, buildings and people. Today's
situation spread so quickly, according to the
reporter, that security forces have retreated from the
center of the city. When the order comes to reenter
the city center they will have to reassert authority,
the reporter told Sharpe, adding that "significant use
of force is quite likely."


11. (C) According to Sharpe, the Chinese Embassy in
London contacted the UK Foreign and Commonwealth
Office and volunteered to give a briefing on the Tibet
situation at 11:00 a.m. GMT.

Officials Deny ConGen Chengdu Trip Request
--------------


12. (C) On March 13, the Foreign Affairs Office of the
Tibet Autonomous Region denied a request by Chengdu

BEIJING 00000975 003 OF 003


and Guangzhou Consuls General to visit the TAR the
week of March 17. The explanation given by
telephone was that a visit to the TAR by the
Guangzhou Consul General "violated international
norms" and the FAO was "too busy" to deal with the
visit. We will continue to press for permission to
visit the TAR.


13. (U) This message was coordinated with ConGen
Chengdu.
RANDT