China has ordered more ideological education in Tibet to reduce support for exiled Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama.
The region’s hardline Communist Party leader also ordered harsh punishment for local party officials found lacking in their political commitment to Beijing’s official line during sometimes violent anti-government protests last month and the harsh crackdown that followed.
China has accused the India-based Dalai Lama of orchestrating the violence to sabotage the Beijing Olympic Games and achieve an independent state.
In a report in the Tibet Daily newspaper, regional party chief Zhang Qingli was ordering officials to boost ideological education among young people, focusing on negative portrayals of Tibet before the Communist invasion in 1950, and continued vilification of his political agenda.
Meanwhile, a leading Chinese civil rights activist has been jailed bringing international criticism of the country ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Hu Jia, 34, was convicted of charges of “inciting subversion of state power” based on internet articles he had written and interviews he gave to foreign media. He was sentenced to 42 months.
His lawyer Li Fangping said: “We’re happy that he was not charged with a more severe crime, but three years and six months we still think is unacceptable.”
Hu has 10 days to appeal the sentence, but Li said a decision on an appeal has not been made yet.
