Tibetan protesters clashed with police in at least three Chinese provinces Sunday, as the government sought to censor news of the demonstrations. The Dalai Lama has called the situation in Tibet a form of "cultural genocide."
Tibetan monks in Sichuan province fought police during a protest Sunday morning, and unconfirmed accounts suggest at least one officer was killed.
In Qinghai province, about 100 monks escaped their monastery where they had been confined, then set off fireworks. Police in riot gear surrounded the temple and told journalists to destroy any photographs of their presence.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports say students held a protest in western Gansu province, Matt Whitticase of London-based activist group Free Tibet, told The Associated Press.
All three provinces have a sizable Tibetan population. It's unclear whether protests were held in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, where violent skirmishes first began on Friday.
Reports vary on how many have died in the clashes. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy says at least seven activists have been fatally shot.
The government has severely limited access to Internet sites like YouTube, preventing demonstrators from easily spreading footage of the protests and ensuing crackdown.
Kelsang Palden, a spokesperson for Students for a Free Tibet, said some activists are still able to use Skype, a program that allows users to make phone conversations over the Internet and send instant messages.
"I understand there are still some forms of communication between people in Tibet," he told CTV Newsnet. "Obviously, those people who are communicating certain types of information outside of the Chinese media are putting their lives at risk, which obviously is of great concern to everybody."
'Cultural genocide'
The protests continued after the Dalai Lama called for an international investigation into China's crackdown on protesters in Tibet.
"Some respected international organization can find out what the situation is in Tibet and what is the cause," he told reporters at a news conference in Dharmasala, India on Sunday.
His government in exile claims that 80 people have died so far in the violence, and the Dalai Lama used a strong phrase to describe the effect of Chinese policies in Tibet.
"Whether the (Chinese) government there admits or not, there is a problem. There is an ancient cultural heritage that is facing serious danger," he said.
"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some kind of cultural genocide is taking place."
It wasn't clear if the Dalai Lama was referring to the current crackdown or China's overall policies in Tibet, which it occupied in 1950. China believes Tibet to be a part of its sovereign territory.
The current unrest is the worst in two decades, and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada is warning Canadians to avoid "non-essential travel" to Tibet and to stay indoors and away from protests until things calm down.
Events began on Monday with a protest marking the anniversary of a 1959 uprising against China. Buddhist monks played a leadership role.
Things turned violent on Friday when police intervened with a group of protesting monks in Lhasa.
Tibetans angry over Chinese rule directed their anger at ethnic Chinese and their various businesses.
Chinese troops cracked down and restored order in Lhasa, ordering foreign tourists out in the process. However, sympathy protests sprung up in Xiahe, about 1,200 kilometres away.
Police used tear gas to disperse Buddhist monks and other Tibetan demonstrators after they marched from the Labrang monastery and smashed the windows of the county police headquarters in Xiahe.
Xu Shousheng, provincial governor of Gansu, described the protests as "a planned and organized destructive activity." He blamed the "outside Dalai group."
There have been demonstrations in various world cities about the crackdown, but government reaction has been mild.
All this is occurring about two weeks before the Beijing Olympics kick off with the beginning of the torch relay. Part of that relay will pass through Tibet and will even reach the summit of Mount Everest.
With files from The Associated Press
