Torch Relay In Tibet Met With Big Protest

The Tibet Autonomous Regional Government was confident to have a safe and successful Olympic torch relay on Saturday, said Palma Trily, executive vice chairman of Tibet, here on Friday. He said police have been deployed to ensure security during the relay, but there was none from the People's Liberation Army (PLA),as "the duty of the PLA is to guard the frontier and protect the territory." He made the remarks while meeting a 50-strong delegation of journalists, including staff from 29 overseas news organizations.
"We believe activities against the people's will and against the historical trend doom to fail," said the official when he was asked whether the Dalai Lama clique would sabotage the torch relay. He said sabotage activities would exist as long as the clique existed, even after the torch relay concluded in Tibet. Five organization including "Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC)", "Tibetan Women's Association (TWA)" had threatened to sabotage the torch relay. Also at the press conference, Dekyi Drolkar, director of Tibet's sports bureau, said the Olympic torch relay in Tibet would have 156 torch bearers including 75 Tibetans. The Lhasa leg would start from Norbu Lingka Square and end in Potala Palace, covering 9.3 kilometers.

The Beijing Organizing Committee of the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG) announced the torch relay schedule in Tibet was cut to one day on June 21 from the original three days of June 19 to 21. In the one-day Lhasa leg, the flame kindled on the top of Mount Qomolangma on May 8 will join the main torch, which would be the first time in the history of Olympic Games. Source