WASHINGTON, June 26, 2003--Chinese authorities have arrested three Tibetansin the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, for alleged separatist activities, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports. The arrests come amid tighter curbs ahead of thebirthday of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
The three Tibetans arrested June 16 were identified as Lhasa City CPPCCmember Yeshi Gyatso and two third-year students at Tibet University, DawaTashi and Buchung (eds: one name), according to sources who asked not to beidentified.
They are accused of involvement in "activities to split the motherland."
No further details were immediately available.
As it does every year, the Lhasa city government has issued new curbs oncivil liberties in the runup to the Dalai Lama's birthday. A recent circularwarns residents against burning incense, hanging prayer flags, and visiting temples or monasteries.
"All these activities are now illegal," one source said.
Chinese authorities have long outlawed celebrations of the July 6 birthdayof the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet for India in 1959 after a failed uprisingagainst Chinese rule. He is now based in the northern Indian town ofDharamsala.
RFA broadcasts news and information to Asian listeners who lack regularaccess to full and balanced reporting in their domestic media. Through itsbroadcasts and call-in programs, RFA aims to fill a critical gap in thelives of people across Asia. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean, Lao,Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), andUyghur. It adheres to the highest standards of journalism and aims toexemplify accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content.#####