China says Tibet monks won't be punished

By John Ruwitch

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will not punish a group of Tibetan monks for disrupting a government-organized foreign media tour of Lhasa and voicing support for the Dalai Lama, a senior official said in a bid to allay fears of repercussions.

Baema Chilain, vice-chairman of the Chinese-controlled Tibet Autonomous Region, also said "separatists" were planning to disrupt the Olympic torch relay in Tibet.

However, he pledged to ensure the flame's security there and on its planned ascent of Mount Everest, the state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.

On Thursday, about 30 monks at the Jokhang Temple, one of the holiest in Tibet, shoved their way into a briefing and spent about 15 minutes telling reporters the government was lying about recent unrest. They also rejected Chinese claims the Tibetan spiritual leader was directing the rash of protests.

These monks who staged the bold protest will not be punished, Xinhua quoted Baema Chilain as saying.

"But what they said is not true. They were attempting to mislead the world's opinion," he said. "The facts shouldn't be distorted."

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader who fled to India after a failed uprising in 1959, said on Friday China's media were using "deceit and distortion" in coverage of protests in Tibet. He said this could cause racial tension between Tibetans and Han Chinese with unpredictable long-term consequences.

"This is of grave concern to me," the Dalai Lama said in a statement on www.tibet.net, appealing to "Chinese brothers and sisters" to dispel misunderstanding and find a peaceful solution.

"I assure you I have no desire to seek Tibet's separation. Nor do I have any wish to drive a wedge between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples," he said.

The Tibetan leader has condemned the violence and denies he seeks more than greater autonomy for his homeland.

More than two weeks of unrest in Tibet and western China, including violence in Lhasa on March 14, and China's response ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August have sparked international controversy.

China hopes the Olympics showcase the achievements of the world's fourth-largest economy and its rise as a global power, but the Games have become a lightning rod for criticism.

"To our knowledge, some separatists from within and outside China are seeking to sabotage the Olympic torch relay within Tibet," said Baema Chilain.

The flame arrives in Beijing on Monday.

"We are confident and capable of ensuring the security of the relay and taking it to the top of the peak," Chilain said.