Teens are detained after defying tight Chinese security measures. Dozens of Tibetan middle-school students in the far-western Gansu staged a protest against tight government controls on the second anniversary of a region-wide uprising, according to witnesses.In the Tibetan regional capital Lhasa, businesses meanwhile defied orders to open for business as usual and observed the anniversary in silence, residents there said.
“On March 14, around 11 a.m. or 12 p.m. … about 30 students from the Tibetan Middle School in Machu sted in streets close to the county center,” one local resident said.“The student protesters were joined by 500 to 600 [other] Tibetans.They were shouting against the lack of freedom, calling for Tibetan independence,” he added.The protesters were surrounded by security forces, with at least 40 people detained late Sunday, March 14, sources said.The detentions sparked fresh anger among local Tibetan residents, who make up more than 50 percent of the region’s population.
“Around 400 or 500 of them were standing in front of government offices and demanding the release of those detained,” the Machu resident said, in an account confirmed by several other local sources.Machu residents estimated that about 3,000 Chinese security forces had been stationed in the area, escalating tensions.
They managed to protest for about 30 to 4O minutes before they were surrounded by armed police.
Dolkar Kyab, a Tibetan researcher, said the students were angered in part by an official rebuff of a planned forum on the topic “Tibetan experiences of joy and sorrow,” as well as a ban on any commemoration of the March 10, 1959 uprising .
Residents joined widespread protests against Chinese rule in 2008, with many arrested and handed stiff sentences.

Shops closed, protests in TAR

All the hotels and restaurants owned by Tibetans were closed.
In the Tibetan regional capital Lhasa, under a heavy security clampdown for the March 14 anniversary of a series of protests that spread from Lhasa following a military crackdown, shop owners refused to open for business in protest.
“They were ordered to open their businesses as usual and were told that if they did not open their shops, their display carts would be taken away,” a Lhasa resident said.
“The Tibetans didn’t open their shops and marked the March 14 anniversary in silence,” he added.
Thousands of security forces including those dressed in black uniform were deployed in Lhasa.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Tibetans protested on March 10 in Markham county, also in TAR, residents said.
“They demanded compensation for damage to the local environment, animals, and human beings due to mining activities,” one resident said.
“The Chinese authorities attempted to detain some leaders, but at that time some Tibetan youths injured themselves with swords and threatened to kill themselves if any of the Tibetans were detained.”
“The local authorities sought the help of local Rinpoches and Lamas to convince the Tibetans to return home,” the Markham county resident said.