105 Lhasa rioters surrender to police

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-19 06:25

LHASA - Tibet regional government said 105 people have surrendered themselves to police by 11 pm on Tuesday for involvement in the Lhasa riot that killed 13 innocent civilians.

 Tibetan law enforcement authorities issued a notice on Saturday, urging lawbreakers in Friday's riot to stop criminal activities and offering leniency to those who surrender themselves.

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Doje Cering, a 25-year-old villager, smashed a red sedan and a white van with stones during the riot. He explained to Xinhua he was drunk at home that day when he heard someone shouting "get out, or we will burn down your house." Then he just blindly followed them.

Gyaincain, 53, said he came out when he heard people shouting "all people out, or burnt by fire." "I just followed them," he said.

"I was very disturbed by what I did. My family has persuaded me to give in to police," he said.

Baema Chilain, vice-chairman of the regional government, said the people who gave themselves to police had been directly involved in the beating, smashing, looting and arson last Friday.

"Some have turned in the money they looted," said Baema.

The riots erupted in the plateau city on Friday afternoon. Rioters killed 13 civilians and set fires at more than 300 locations and attacked schools, banks, hospitals, shops, government offices, utilities and state media offices.

A preliminary investigation showed at least 373 business people and 32 enterprises had reported damages from the riot, with losses exceeding 99.1 million yuan (about 14 million US dollars) as of Tuesday night, according to the regional department of commerce.



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