2nd day of protests in Tibet, tear gas fired: report

BEIJING, March 12 Kyodo

A U.S.-government funded radio station reported Wednesday there has been a second day of protests in Tibet, with police reportedly firing tear gas canisters to try to disperse the crowds.

Radio Free Asia said that up to 600 monks marched to a police station in Lhasa on Tuesday, demanding the release of fellow clerics who were arrested in previous demonstrations.

The report said the monks were surrounded by about 2,000 security personnel who used tear gas to try to disperse the demonstrators.

The monks returned to their monastery at 9:30 p.m. after staging a sit-down protest near the police station, the report said. It did not say if any of the monks was arrested or injured.

A spokesman for the regional government in Tibet said he had no information about the protest. The police department in Tibet said it was unable to reveal any information to the media.

The Chinese authorities did confirm earlier this week that two protests took place in Lhasa on Monday, the anniversary of the uprising against Chinese rule which led the Dalai Lama to flee into exile.

A government spokesman said police stopped an illegal march into the city by monks and broke up a small independence demonstration in the center of Lhasa, but no arrests were made.

Radio Free Asia said up to 60 monks were arrested when the march was halted Monday and 14 people were detained after the demonstration.

The Dalai Lama released a statement on the anniversary saying Tibetans had faced increased ''repression'' under Chinese rule in recent years and that the region's culture and language are under threat.

China says massive investment has improved the livelihoods of all Tibetans and it rejects allegations that Tibet's religion and culture are not protected under Communist rule.

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