Olympic torch relay continues in Tibet, accompanied by tight security

by rpshen | June 21, 2008 at 11:11 am | 120 views | add comment

The much-anticipated and delayed Olympic torch relay in Lhasa, Tibet, finally took place, with the aid of extremely tight security measures of course. All the shops along the relay route were closed and the streets were emptied. Onlookers were screened prior to the parade, in order to ensure that they would chant in favor of China. Reporters were isolated from the onlookers and were only allowed coverage of the beginning and the ending of the relay. They were banned from following the relay route. The good news is that no attempts of sabotage has been reported.

The Olympic torch was paraded on Saturday through the streets of Tibet's capital, Lhasa -- the scene of bloody riots in March that triggered demonstrations at some of the flame's international relay stops.

Tight security accompanied the flame over its three-hour journey through the historic city, one day after officials announced more jail sentences related to the deadly riots.

The roughly 10km run began at Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's former summer palace from where Tibet's traditional Buddhist leader fled into exile in 1959. It ended at a vast square at the base of the hilltop Potala Palace, the traditional seat of Tibetan rulers.

Hundreds of police and paramilitary troops lined the route. Onlookers, who had been carefully screened beforehand, waved flags and chanted "Go China".

About half of the 156 torch runners were ethnic Tibetan, the official Xinhua news agency said.

The Lhasa leg saw the reunion of the main torch with a separate one carried earlier to the top of Mount Everest -- one of the highlights of the grandiose global relay that drew ugly confrontations at some of its international stops between Chinese supporters and groups protesting against Beijing's human rights record and policies toward Tibet and Sudan.

On Friday, Palma Trily, the vice-governor of Tibet's Chinese-appointed administration, told foreign reporters that Tibetan exile groups were seeking to sabotage the torch run. The reporters were required to travel in a closely guarded convoy and only allowed to cover the opening and closing legs, isolating them from contact with ordinary residents.

The city, which has been under a security lockdown since the riots, all but shut down for the relay, with streets deserted and most shops closed. A security cordon was thrown up around Potala Square, with costumed performers taking the place of Buddhist pilgrims who visit to turn prayer wheels and prostrate themselves in front of the palace, which is now a museum.

Activist groups say the torch relay leg in Tibet and the separate relay to the peak of Mount Everest are an attempt by Chinese leaders to symbolise their control over the Himalayan region.

The Chinese government has been attempting to portray China's unity and power via the torch relay, but due to the occurrence of riots and sabotaging attempts, the Olympic torch relay experience has proved to be quite the opposite for China. Is it fair to say that this has been one of the most eventful and problematic torch relay ever?