China has blamed “trained separatists” for a wave of unrest in Tibetan-inhabited areas last week that left at least two people dead and dozens injured, state press reported Wednesday. The southwestern province of Sichuan — which has big populations of ethnic Tibetans, many of whom complain of religious repression and a lack of freedom — was rocked by three violent clashes last week. Rights groups say security forces shot dead peaceful protesters in each of the incidents but China has acknowledged only two of them, and says they were triggered by a violent crowd of demonstrators. “Initial evidence showed that the riots and assaults were well planned beforehand and instigated by trained separatists against the country,” the official China Daily newspaper said, citing the Sichuan government.
It said protesters attacked police stations with stones and molotov cocktails, prompting the police to take action and “defend themselves”. Chinese authorities have barred foreign journalists from going to the affected areas, making independent attempts to verify the situation there near impossible. “The riots were serious crimes plotted by Tibetan separatist forces in and outside of China,” the English-language Global Times said, also citing the Sichuan government.