China has fired three local officials in Tibet and issued a strong warning to others, telling them to be on guard to maintain stability in the restive province, as growing ethnic unrest in the region gives worries to the Communist Party.
While three administration officials in the Himalayan region were dismissed for dereliction of duty in two separate cases, a notification issued for others warned of on the spot sacking if they fail to maintain society stability.
"Officials should always keep a clear mind and fully understand the extreme importance and urgency of maintaining stability at this time," Tibet Daily quoted a notification issued by the Tibet discipline commission as saying.
The province has issued emergency notices before to inform local Communist Party committees and governments to make full efforts to maintain stability in the region during the Spring Festival and Tibetan New Year periods as well as March, according to the notice.
This was perhaps the first time that such a notice was issued after the 2008 riots in which mobs in the Tibetan capital Lhasa went on a rampage reportedly venting their ire against increasing settlements of people from mainland.
China blamed the Dalai Lama for instigating the riots.
The latest notice mentioned two separate cases in which three officials were removed after being found lax in performing their duties.
Huang Fangyong, secretary of the local discipline inspection commission in Najin township, Chengguan district, Lhasa, was removed from his post on January 22, after it was discovered he was not at his work station on January 20, according to a local television report.
Huang was not at his post when an inspection team from Lhasa visited Najin, and did not appear at work for the whole night despite calls from the team for him to return.
In Qamdo Prefecture, a township Party chief and government head were recently removed from their posts following a dispute involving local villagers.
The two officials did not resolve a dispute between two villages over the clearing of natural forests in a timely and correct manner, allowing the situation to escalate into unrest, the Tibet Daily reported.
Problems have been emerging in other areas dominated by ethnic Tibetans, Global Times said in a report.
The measures came as mobs of Tibetans attacked two police stations in the neighbouring Sichuan province following rumours that three monks committed self immolations.
Two persons were killed and several injured in the two incidents. In recent months 16 Buddhist monks and nuns have attempted self immolations in Sichuan and other areas.
According to overseas Tibetan groups, the monks suicides were aimed at highlighting their demand for the return of the Dalai Lama.
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