Chinese Police in Amdo Labrang Saturday opened fire on Tibetans who were protesting against a cement factory which they accuse of polluting the local environment and obstructing religious sentiments of the local Tibetans.Fifteen people were taken to hospital with injuries sustained from gunshots and police beatings.No deaths, however, have been reported so far.Local Tibetans from 7 villages in Madang Township, Xiahe County (Labrang) in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo have signed a petition expressing their disappointment over the pollution caused by ‘Amdo Cement Factory’.
In addition to the expressed concerns about pollution, local Tibetans claim the factory was built on a site of religious significance. Tension ran high after villagers started to rebuild a road that was earlier blocked for the factory’s expansion. Staff from the cement factory, cadres from Madang Township and police officers warned them to stop the road construction. The deputy governor of the county asked the Tibetans to withdraw from the site threatening them with action if they did not allow the factory’s vehicles to pass. The Tibetans were given 15 minutes to clear the area and they did move back from the road, according to the source but the police still opened fire. “...He gave them a 15-minute warning, and the villagers did start to move back from the road. But even so armed police moved forward and started to shoot," a source as saying.