Tibetan villagers in the Tibetan Autonomous Region have renewed protests against mining operations on mountains they consider sacred, despite a strong presence by armed Chinese police.The three mines targeted for protests are located at Tsongshen, Choeten, and Deshoe in Markham county in the TAR.
Markham was the site of similar protests last year against mining on a mountain called Ser Ngul Lo.“Since May 8, China has imposed a virtual blackout in Tsongshen in Markham,” one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.“Work teams from Lhasa and officials from Chamdo and Markham have arrived at the site to facilitate the mining, and officials have searched Tibetan homes.”
Another local Tibetan source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said large crowds have tried to stop the mining.“Thousands of local Tibetans—young, old, men, and women alike—have attempted to block the Chinese from resuming mining activities,” the source said.“But TAR Party Secretary Zhang Qingli has given orders to ahead with the mining, even if this means using force against protesters,” the source said.

Five injured

Local Tibetans believe that Zhang maintains links with the mining company, although this was impossible to confirm.
“Tibetans have set aside their farming to defend the sacred mountains from exploitation,” another source said, also asking not to be named.
Five protesters—two women and three men—were reportedly injured in the protests. One attempted to kill himself with a broken bottle, the source said. The others were beaten and tear-gassed by police, he added.
“With more troops being called in, it will be difficult to prevent the mining,” the man added. “Right now there are about five thousand troops in Tsongshen, and more reinforcements are expected.”
In 2009, Tibetan residents complained and protested after authorities gave a Chinese mining and lumbering firm, Zhongkai Co., permission to excavate the area.
Tibetans have historically worshipped at the site known as Ser Ngul Lo,conducting rituals there in the event of drought, residents say.

Detentions reported

On May 4, four Tibetan businessmen and a monk from Markham were detained in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, a Tibetan source said, also on condition that he not be named. Eight Tibetans who went to petition in the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu were then also detained, he said.
"This happened on the same day when the TAR ordered the mining company to resume its activities in the three major sites in Markham."
"All of those detained were Tibetan businessmen and leading figures who successfully blocked the Chinese mining company in 2009," he said.