Monks run amok (2)

Non-political residents instigated

Ma is no different from other Tibetans, except for the police uniform. Around 90 percent of police officers in Luhuo are Tibetans, matching the local ethnic makeup.

Within his family, Ma Wen'ge maintains harmony between different beliefs. As a member of the Communist Party of China, Ma doesn't practice Buddhist rituals, but has no problem with his mother being a devout Tibetan Buddhist.

However, harmony is hard to achieve, as a result of a few separatists in and outside of China plotting riots and instigating the mostly non-political Tibetan residents to follow them, according to Ma.

When the mobs attacked Ma's family, the cousin who was hiding under a curtain inside his grandma's room of worship saw a nun smash the Buddhist shrine.

Ma believes it indicates that those people were not really Buddhists, as no true believer would destroy their own icons, but had ulterior motives.

"There's no conflict between Han and Tibetan people. All the crimes were committed by political monks in foreign countries," he claimed.

The riots were a shock and other Tibetan-populated counties quickly tightened security. When the next day, a riot struck Seda, an even more remote county in Ganzi, the police encircled rioters in a square and brought the situation under control in 20 minutes. One of the 200-or-so rioters was shot dead and 13 detained.

After the riots, Internet connections and mobile phone signals were cut off for over 50 kilometers around the riot areas. Police believe external forces played a part in the riots.

Wounds yet to heal

Located deep in the mountains and situated at an altitude of 3,500 meters, the two counties are connected to the outside world only by a winding path.

The natural beauty and dense religious atmosphere make it hard for visitors to connect them with violence.

County officials claimed most Tibetan people relish their peaceful and improved life, but some are easily fooled by "a few monks playing politics and taking advantage of their religious status."

According to local officials, they shoulder heavy responsibilities in maintaining ethnic unity at the grassroots level, and their nerves are strained. Every small problem can be hyped into an international topic.