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-organised 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, but 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.

A day earlier, 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 that Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was directing the rash of protests.

These monks 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 has condemned the violence and denies he wants anything more than autonomy for his homeland.

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

China has hoped the Olympics will showcase the achievements of the world's fourth-largest economy and its rise as a global power, but the Games are becoming a lightning rod for criticism.