Tibet official gives government account of unrest

BEIJING (Reuters) - Tibet's top government official said authorities showed "massive restraint" after protests struck the regional capital, Lhasa, last week.

China has claimed that Tibet's exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, orchestrated the protests and anti-Chinese violence, a claim he has totally rejected.

Here are some highlights from the news briefing given in Beijing by the Tibet regional government's chairman, or governor, Qiangba Puncog, an ethnic Tibetan.

"On March 14, a violent criminal incident involving fighting, smashing, looting, and arson broke out in urban Lhasa. This was engineered by the Dalai clique, which incited it using an organized, premeditated, meticulous plan, with collusion between Tibet separatist forces at home and abroad," he said.

He later said that the unrest was aimed at preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games, which start on Aug 8.

"This time a tiny handful of separatists and lawless elements engaged in extreme acts with the goal of generating even more publicity to wreck stability during this crucial period of the Olympic Games -- over 18 years of hard-won stability," he said.

Qiangba Puncog said the protesters had attacked stalls, schools, hospitals, banks, shops, government offices, power and telecommunications equipment, and state media offices.

He said 13 innocent civilians were burnt or hacked to death; dozens of police officers were injured; and 61 members of the People's Army Police, the separate anti-riot force, were injured -- six seriously.

"DALAI CLIQUE"

Qiangba Puncog said Western sympathizers of the Dalai Lama and Tibet independence had spread a distorted version of the unrest.

"What I find outrageous is how the Dalai clique and some people in Western countries describe the fighting, smashing, looting and arson of the rioters as a 'peaceful demonstration', and describe our lawful handling of this violence gravely threatening people's lives and property and social order as 'suppressing a peaceful protest'."

Some Tibetans and foreign tourists in Lhasa during the protests have said there was gunfire.

Qiangba Puncog said security forces in Lhasa had brought out armored vehicles, anti-riot pressure hoses, and other special equipment to put down the protests.

But he said that no "lethal weapons" were used and the military, or People's Liberation Army, was not involved in quelling the protests. He also rejected claims that dozens of, even a hundred, locals were killed in the protests.

"I can say with all responsibility that we did not use lethal weapons, including opening fire. Today I can say that with all responsibility. As for the many rumors, including some in the media, claiming that 30, 50, 70, 80 had died, not only do I say today but in the future I can add evidence showing that these rumors are baseless."

Asked about the number of Tibetans protesters who may have been killed, he merely said: "During this quelling of this action, a handful of rioters and crime suspects engaged in extreme resistance, and therefore during the course of arrest some jumped off buildings. I know there were three like that."

Qiangba Puncog said he did not know how many people had been arrested for taking part in the protests, and nor during the brief news conference did he respond to the Dalai Lama's claim that China may be perpetrating "cultural genocide" in Tibet.

(Reporting by Chris Buckley; Editing by John Chalmers)