More guns unearthed from monasteries

Continuing their crackdown, the Chinese police on Wednesday claimed to have seized guns and explosives from 11 monasteries in a Tibetan-populated region where anti-Beijing riots erupted last month.

Police have, in the last two days, found three rifles, 571 bullets, 10 kilograms of dynamite, five detonators and 30 satellite receivers in 11 'key' monasteries in Jone and Xiahe counties and Hezuo city in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous prefecture of northwestern Gansu province, state media said.

The 11 monasteries include six where Chinese police on Tuesday said they had seized explosives and lethal weapons. The seizures come close on the heels of Chinese police detaining nine monks whom they accused of exploding a homemade bomb in a Tibetan township government building during anti-government protests at Gyanbe in Qambo prefecture.

Officials said 2,204 people, including 519 monks, had surrendered to police following violence in Gannan, which left 94 people injured. But, 1,870 of them, including 413 monks, had been released as they had committed minor offences.

Meanwhile, China announced completion of work on improving the 108-km highway to the Mount Everest in preparation for the Olympic torch relay to the summit. The improvement work on the highway to Mount Everest had been completed, official Xinhua news agency said.
 
The highway was built from a makeshift road between Xigaze prefecture and the Mount Everest Base Camp under a $21 million project that began in June last year. Over 90 per cent of the roadside had been covered by grass, the report said.

China has said it would take the Olympic torch to the highest peak in the world on a day when climatic conditions are favourable. Tibet regional government has vowed that it would ensure a smooth torch relay, amidst fears about attempts to disrupt it in the restive region.

The violence following the strongest anti-government monks-led protests in two decades in the Tibet region have left 20 people dead. Tibetans have claimed the toll is 150. China has pointed the accusing finger for violence at the Dalai Lama, living in exile in India. He has denied the charges.