Click to play videoNew Delhi: Eyewitnesses say Lhasa is on fire [Read Story] after a week of protests by thousands of free-Tibet activists - who targeted shops owned by Chinese in the downtown Barkhor area - and a crackdown by security forces that followed.
But even the tightly-controlled capital of Tibet could not prevent vivid images of protests from leaking out.
The Chinese government alleges the protests are a part of a conspiracy led by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, where hundreds of activists set off on a march to Tibet this week. [Chinese police kill two protesters: Reports]
“To safeguard the unity of the country, the solidarity of the nationalities and the harmony of the society is the common will of all nationalities in Tibet. The plot of the Dalai clique is doomed to fail,” says China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Qin Gang.
Chinese officials say the protests that have been backed in Kathmandu even faraway Greece are an attempt to disrupt the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
They are most worried the protests will escalate ahead of May 10 when the Olympic torch will be taken to Mount Everest.
In deference to Chinese wishes, Nepal announced on Friday it will block all expeditions to Everest for 10 days in May and Indian police have already taken into custody most of the marchers from Dharamsala.
“India will not allow Tibetans to indulge in any anti-China activities in India,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna.
But despite the help from its neighbours, China may have a difficult time quelling the flames already lit inside Lhasa.
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