China said Thursday that the current situation in Tibet is "stable" in response to a reporter wanting China's reaction to what the exiled leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama said in Germany on Wednesday, that the situation is "very tense" and that an uprising could take place any moment.
Anti-China unrest erupted in the regional capital Lhasa last March and spread to Tibetan-populated regions in adjacent provinces.
Tibet's government-in-exile said more than 200 Tibetans were killed and about 1,000 hurt in the subsequent Chinese crackdown. China has reported killing one Tibetan "insurgent" and says "rioters" were responsible for 21 deaths.
China is conducting a rare and tightly controlled tour of Tibet for some foreign reporters this week, but it and vast areas of neighbouring provinces that saw violence last year remain closed off to foreign journalists. The current tour has excluded several major international news organisations such as BBC and AFP.
TAR's deputy leader Nima Tsering said that sentencing the 76 Tibetans, and detaining over 950, involved in last year's anti-government activities is necessary to safeguard PRC's constitution and sovereignty. He also said that Tibetans are enjoying a good life now. There is no reason for them to forgo celebrating their traditional holiday this year".
Information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.