'1,000 Tibetans' jailed as torch arrives
Thursday, 19 Jun 2008 08:33
Amnesty International says 1,000 Tibetans still detained following arrests during anti-China march protests
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Question marks remain over the status of more than 1,000 people detained in Tibet during anti-China riots earlier this year, it was claimed on Thursday.
Amnesty International is calling on the Chinese government to clarify what has happened to the protestors since they were arrested in March.
The human rights organisation claims activists have been beaten and deprived of proper healthcare and adequate food.
Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International's
Asia-Pacific director, is demanding free access to Tibet for international observers.
The semi-autonomous region is due to receive the Olympic torch this weekend amid tight security.
Officials have taken no chances of suffering unrest during the Xinjiang leg of the relay, handpicking onlookers and ordering native Uighurs to board up their homes and businesses.
Xinjiang - China's largest province which occupies the majority of its western territory - is home to a majority Muslim, Turkic-speaking population that is seeking greater autonomy.
The initially-peaceful protests witnessed in Lhasa, Tibet, earlier this year were directed at the apparent dominance of ethnic Han Chinese in the province's cultural and civic administration.
"There is very little information coming out of Tibet, but the information we have paints a dire picture of arbitrary detentions and abuse of detainees," said Mr Zarifi.
"With the torch relay about to enter Tibetan areas, this should be an opportunity to shine some light on the situation there."
Amnesty International claims Tibetans are being deprived of any contact with the outside world by the systematic dismantling of communications equipment, with people having mobile phones and computers seized.
"The complete lockdown in Tibet is allowing human rights abuses such as arbitrary detentions, ill treatment and severe censorship to go unreported and unpunished," added Mr Zarifi.
"Hundreds of people languish in Chinese prisons for peacefully expressing their opinions, in appalling conditions and without their relatives even knowing where they are.
"The passing of the torch should allow journalists a chance to see the actual situation on the ground and promote the 'free and open Olympics' promised in the Beijing Olympic Action Plan."