VZCZCXRO6849
RR RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHCN #0089 0960631
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 060631Z APR 07
FM AMCONSUL CHENGDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2430
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 2947

C O N F I D E N T I A L CHENGDU 000089 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/CM, DRL AND G/STC 
BANGKOK FOR USAID/MSTIEVATER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  4/6/2027 
TAGS: PHUM ECON PGOV SCUL CH
SUBJECT: INDICATIONS OF SOCIAL TENSIONS IN TIBET 
 
REF: A) CHENGDU 77  B) CHENGDU 83  C) 06 CHENGDU 252 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Kathryn Pongonis, Acting Consul General, United 
States Consulate, Chengdu. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  During a recent reporting trip to the Tibetan 
Autonomous Region, Consulate contacts detailed several examples 
of religious, inter-ethnic, and Tibetan/Han business disputes. 
While reports of conflicts between government officials and 
religious believers receive more international attention, 
conflicts between different groups of Tibetans and between 
Tibetan and Han businesspeople rarely make headlines.  While 
only anecdotal, these stories provide a glimpse into the ethnic 
relations of a minority region that is experiencing a new wave 
of Han migration from inland China.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) During a March reporting trip to the Tibetan Autonomous 
Region (TAR), several Consulate contacts in private 
conversations provided examples of societal conflicts that 
frequently go unreported in the press and the details of which 
only rarely make their way to international non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) concerned with Tibet.  While only 
anecdotal, they provide a glimpse into the ethnic relations of a 
minority region that is experiencing a new wave of Han migration 
from inland China (Ref. B). 
 
Prayers for Long Life of Dalai Lama Dampened 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶3.  (C) On March 14 the Dalai Lama celebrated his seventy-second 
birthday, an especially auspicious birthday following the 
completion of six Tibetan lunar cycles.  While Tibetan Buddhists 
around the world gathered to pray for his long life, security 
was tight in Lhasa to prevent groups of believers from gathering 
to celebrate the day.  Several contacts in Lhasa confirmed that 
on March 14 workers and government officials were ordered not to 
go to temples.  The contacts said there was a heightened police 
presence in the Barkhor area surrounding the Jokhang Temple and 
in Drepung and Sera Monasteries.  On March 16-17 Congenoff also 
observed an especially strong police presence that was 
approximately three to four times what it normally is in the 
Barkhor area. 
 
Animal Pelt Issue Still Sensitive 
--------------------------------- 
¶4.  (C) In January 2006 the Dalai Lama called for Buddhists to 
give up wearing wild animal pelts as a part of their traditional 
clothing.  The call led to widespread burning of pelts across 
Tibetan regions.  On February 2 a group of Tibetans wearing 
animal pelts was doing circumambulations of the Jokhang Temple. 
According to our contact, the worshipers were approached by 
another group of Tibetans who berated them for wearing the 
skins, contrary to the Dalai Lama's wishes.  According to 
observers, a verbal exchange ensued and the Tibetans criticizing 
the skin wearing were detained by police.  There was no further 
information on whether the detainees were subsequently released. 
 
Han-Tibetan Business-Related Conflicts 
-------------------------------------- 
¶5.  (C) According to a Consulate contact, in January there was a 
disturbance involving a Tibetan woman from the Gannan Tibetan 
Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province who was working at a Han 
Chinese-owned restaurant in Lhasa.  During a dispute over wages 
or working conditions the employer reportedly cut the Tibetan 
woman's face.  Later, thirty of the woman's friends came to the 
restaurant to "support" her.  The business owner called the 
police and the 30 Tibetans were arrested.  They were later 
released over a period of three months.  The last individual of 
the original group was released the week of March 12.  He told 
our contact that the detainees were held for two to three months 
without charges.  The detainees were beaten and were fed poorly. 
 
¶6.  (C) In another business-related dispute in late 2006 or 
early 2007, a Tibetan trader from the Kham area of Sichuan 
Province working in Lhasa had a conflict with a Han Chinese 
businessman.  The conflict occurred during one of the TAR Public 
Security Bureau's (PSB) "strike hard" campaigns.  According to 
our contact, the Tibetan trader organized 200 of his friends 
working in Lhasa to "deal with" the Chinese businessman.  The 
businessman called the police and many of the Tibetans were 
arrested.  There were no further details about the outcome of 
the case. 
 
BOUGHNER