The recent riots in Tibet have aroused strong indignation among various strata of Chinese society. The rioters claim that they have been deprived of their religious freedom, but the local farmers and herdsmen disagree. Our reporter Michael Lee has the details.

Reporter: The Chinese government says that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom, and offers its financial contributions to the restoration of cultural relics in the area as proof of its support.

Built in the 7th century, the Potala Palace is considered the holy shrine in Tibetan Buddhism. But due to centuries of wind erosion and worm plague, foundation of the palace is shrinking and cracks can be seen in many parts of the palace.

Renovations began in 1982. The central government has invested 330 million yuan, nearly 50 million US dollars since 2002 on the second phase of repair work on the Potala Palace, as well as other two most revered relics in Tibet, Norbulingka, and the Sakia Temple.

Qiang Ba Ge Sang is the managing director of the Potala Palace.

"Our idea was that the repair work should restore the palace to its original state. We use natural minerals as raw materials. The Potala Palace was not built according to a blueprint, and this has made our work very difficult."

Bai Ma Chi Lin, vice chairman of the Tibet regional government, says the financial contributions from the central government to restore the buildings reflects the government's concern for Tibetans' religious freedom.

"During the country's tenth Five-Year Plan, the central government spent 330 million yuan to repair the Potala Palace, Norbulingka and the Sakia Temple. In the eleventh Five-Year Plan, the country will invest an additional seven to eight million yuan in the repair work."

Bai Ma Chi Lin said future repair work will center on Jokhang Lamasery and several other important lamaseries.

"Protecting cultural relics is equal to protecting religion."

The locals say the move by some monasteries to participate in the riots seriously went against the will of the public, and the actions have resulted in great economic losses and civilian casualties.

In Aba County, Sichuan Province alone, the economic losses from the recent violence amount to more than a decade of Aba County's fiscal revenue.

Xiao Youcai, deputy head of the Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province says the local people's life and property were put under threat by the mob, and went against the will of the locals.

"The beating, smashing, looting and burning by some monasteries in Aba were undertaken with the purpose of separating the nation. They are not isolated incidents, but an important part of the violent, destructive activities organized by the 'Dalai clique.'"

Innocent civilians and more than 200 government personnel and police were injured in the March 16 riot in Aba, and weapons, leaflets advocating Tibet Independence and other anti-government devices were discovered in police raids.

With the support of local people of various ethnic groups, the situation has been brought under control and social order has been restored

Michael Lee, CRI News.