Scores of Tibetan residents of an earthquake-damaged county are protesting local government plans to take possession of choice properties to reconstruct ravaged homes, schools, offices, and other sites, Tibetan sources say.Some properties claimed by the authorities suffered no damage in the April earthquake, which left nearly 3,000 people dead, according to Tibetans in Yushu county, Qinghai province, as well as Tibetans in exile who said they have been in touch with relatives there.The local government has forced local residents out of their houses.
Every day there are about 100 Tibetans protesting and appealing for the right to return to their land and fields, but the local authorities didn’t listen.
A Tibetan from Yushu said that one of his friends had seen "several hundreds" of Tibetans at the protest.
He said he was unsure whether Tibetans or monks had been taken away by police, but suggested that "people don’t want to talk about it out of fear."
The Yushu native said Tibetans from the area are largely self-sufficient and praised Tibetan monks for their quick efforts in providing relief materials to victims of the April 14 earthquake.
“Some victims didn’t get anything from the government even three or four weeks after the earthquake because the relief materials had to go through many checks and verifications. Tibetan monks hand-delivered relief supplies to each victim without delay.”