A senior local official said a clique with Dalai Lama, an exiled religious leader, as the center was behind the severe riot that has caused heavy losses of life and property in Lhasa, Tibet's capital city over the weekend.

Qiangba Puncog, Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Regional Government, said that any secessionist attempt to sabotage Tibet's stability will not gain people's support and will be doomed to fail as stability has been restored in the city.

CRI's Zheng Chenguang reports.

Reporter:

In a press briefing held in Beijing on Monday, Qiangba Puncog said the Lhasa riot in Lahsa was incited by Dalai Lama, a secessionist who advocates Tibet-Independence.

"On March 14th, a serious sabotage which involved beating, robbing and arson took place in Lhasa. The severe violence was masterminded, well planned and carefully organized by the Dalai clique and jointly conspired by domestic and overseas separatists who are advocating Tibet independence."

The official Xinhua News agency reported that Lhasa police rescued more than 580 people, including three Japanese tourists, from the violent array of sabotage. So far, no foreigner has been harmed.

Luosang Ciren, a Tibetan medical worker, described the violence. He was beaten by the mob while providing medical services to the injured civilians in the riot.

"We were on our way back to the hospital and found an injured civilian who stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating. We carried him onto our vehicle for rescue but the mob came and attacked us even after we had identified ourselves as doctors."

Peng Xiaobo, a Lasha citizen who runs four clothing shops, said not only were all of his shops burned to the ground by the mob, his two close relatives were also burned to death and his wife has been seriously injured.

"My sister has just had her 18th birthday. She did not dare to jump out of the window. She fell off the stairs into the flames."

On Sunday, the Dalai Lama was quoted by media accusing the Chinese government of waging "cultural genocide" against his followers in Tibet.

Qiangba Puncog, the chairman of the local government said he is so indignant to hear that the Dalai clique and some Westerners called the severe violence as 'peaceful demonstration'"

The head of the regional government says rioters in Lhasa set fires at more than 300 residential houses and shops, and burned scores of vehicles over the weekend.

Thirteen innocent civilians were burned or stabbed to death by rioters.

"I would like to know whether there is any government preaching democracy and advocating rule of law could sufficiently tolerate such violence."

According to the China Central television reports, the social stability in Lhasa has been restored.

Zheng Chenguang, CRI news.