Tibetan groups say more killed in firings

More protesting Tibetans died in firings by Chinese forces in Sichuan province on the second day of violence, overseas Tibetan advocacy groups said. The latest incident was reported Tuesday in the town of Serthar in the western province, which has a large Tibetan population. "At least two people have been shot dead by Chinese forces in Serthar town today," Free Tibet, based in London, said on its Web site. It said many were injured, a number of them seriously. Phayul.com, a Web site of Tibetan exiles in Dharamsala, India, said at least five Tibetans died in the Tuesday shooting by Chinese forces in Serthar. The report said the incident occurred when a large crowd of Tibetans had raised banners bearing slogans for Tibet's independence. "Sources in exile with contacts in the region say that over 600 Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene of the protests and began firing indiscriminately at the crowd," Phayul reported, adding more than 40 Tibetans were injured in the firings. At least two Tibetans died in similar violence Monday, as Tibetans protested peacefully in neighboring Draggo County, Free Tibet said. "Yonten, one of the people killed, died from a gunshot wound to the head. We can confirm that a second Tibetan also died after being shot," Free Tibet said, adding another 36 suffered gunshot wounds and 12 of them seriously. Free Tibet quoted residents in Serthar as saying their town was under curfew, forcing them to stay indoors for fear of being shot. Phayul reported Lobsang Sangay, the Harvard-educated prime minister of the Tibetan exile government, urged the international community to intervene to prevent further bloodshed. Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama lives in Dharamsala. "Silence from the world community sends a clear message to China that its repressive and violent measures to handle tensions in Tibetan areas are acceptable," Sangay said. The Chinese government accused the overseas Tibetan groups of distorting facts. "Overseas forces of 'Tibet independence' have always fabricated rumors and distorted the truth to discredit the Chinese government with issues involving Tibet," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. China's official media said the government blamed the Monday incident on monks and armed protesters who had allegedly attacked stores and a police station. The New York Times reported the differing versions from the two sides suggested the latest incidents are the worst since the 2008 protests in Tibetan-populated regions. Free Tibet has said the latest protests could have resulted from demands for religious freedom, or with a refusal to observe Chinese New Year, which comes a month before that of the Tibetans, the Times said. Widespread violent protests in March 2008 against Chinese rule in Tibet, were put down by the military. Maria Otero, U.S. special coordinator for Tibetan Issues, in a statement Tuesday expressed concern over the reports of violence and continuing heightened tensions in Tibetan areas of China, which follow self-immolations mostly by Tibetan monks ad nuns. "The U.S. Government consistently and directly has raised the issue of Tibetan self-immolations with the Chinese government. The U.S. Government repeatedly has urged the Chinese government to address the counterproductive policies in Tibetan areas that have created tensions and that threaten the distinct religious, cultural and linguistic identity of the Tibetan people," the statement said. "We call on the Chinese government to safeguard the universal human rights of all of China's citizens." Earlier, Free Tibet director Stephanie Bridgen has been quoted as saying the violent confrontations and rising casualties underline "how the situation is escalating." The Dalai Lama has been calling for more autonomy for Tibet than the current Chinese status of Tibet Autonomous Region. He has been living in exile in India since 1959 after a failed uprising in Tibet against Chinese rule.