Lama's Russia envoy says Tibet protests spreading

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Disturbances have been spreading in Tibet despite a crackdown by police and troops against opponents of Chinese rule, the Dalai Lama's representative in Russia said on Monday.

Witnesses have seen scores of bodies in the capital Lhasa and police have been making arrests at night, the Dalai Lama's representative in Russia, who is known as Tashi, told Reuters.

"We are getting some information from Tibet and the disturbances have spread. They are not only in Lhasa but also in the regions of Tibet," he said.

"The Chinese are trying to show just one side of things - they are not showing how the Chinese army and riot police kill and arrest Tibetans," he said.

China said on Monday it had shown great restraint in the face of violent protests by Tibetans. It accused followers of the Dalai Lama of orchestrating the violence in order to wreck the Beijing Olympics in August.

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959, has said he supports the Beijing Games and has flatly rejected Chinese claims about his role.

"One person told us they saw with their own eyes 67 bodies," Tashi said. "There have been a great many killed and many more arrested... I think the number of dead will definitely be more than 100 as there are protests in other regions too."

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge)