03-28-08

中国称不会惩罚参与记者前抗议的僧侣 (China Says No Punishment for Monks Involved in Protest Before Journalists )

中国说，将不会惩罚在西藏首府拉萨打断政府组织的境外媒体采访活动的僧侣。大昭寺的大约30名僧侣星期四闯入官方主办的发布会，抱怨没有宗教自由。他们还辩驳了北京有关西藏流亡精神领袖达赖喇嘛幕后策划最近反抗北京统治的抗议活动的指称。

受北京控制的西藏自治区政府的副主席白玛赤林星期五说，这些僧侣试图“误导全球舆论”。不过他说，这些僧侣不会受到伤害或者被拘留。他同时说，当局不允许大昭寺117名僧侣中的任何人离开寺庙，其中一些僧侣因在暴力抗议中德角色而接受调查。

达赖喇嘛星期五说，中国官方媒体使用他所称的“欺骗和歪曲事实的图像”来描绘西藏近期的动乱。

China says it will not punish monks who disrupted a government-led media tour of Tibet's capital, Lhasa. About 30 Buddhist monks of the Jokhang Temple stormed into the briefing Thursday and complained of a lack of religious freedom. They also disputed Beijing's claims that Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was behind the recent protests against Chinese rule.

Baima Chilin, the vice-chairman of the Chinese-controlled Tibetan government, said Friday the monks were trying to "mislead the world's opinion." However, he said they will not be harmed or taken into detention. At the same time, he says authorities are not allowing any of the 117 monks at Jokhang to leave the temple, while some are
investigated for their role in violent protests. 

The Dalai Lama said Friday that the official Chinese media has used what he called "deceit and distorted images" to portray the recent unrest in Tibet. 

香港民主活动人士将退休 (Hong Kong Democracy Activist to Retire)

推动香港在中国统治下实行全面民主的主要人物之一的李柱铭表示，他将从立法会议员的议席上退休。今年6月将满70岁的李柱铭说，现在到了“新鲜血液”接班的时候。担任23年议员的李柱铭在他目前任期今年7月届满后不再参选。

自1997年香港主权从英国转交回中国以后，李柱铭一直处在亲民主运动的前列。他还是香港民主党的创党主席。李柱铭说，他最大的遗憾是没能确保普选，但承诺将尽余生为之奋斗。

Martin Lee, one of Hong Kong's leading advocates for full democracy under Chinese communist rule, says he will retire from his seat in the legislature. Lee, who will turn 70 years old in June, says it is time for "new blood" to take over. He will not run again when his current term expires in July, after 23 years in office.

Lee has been at the forefront of the pro-democracy movement since the territory switched from British to Chinese rule in 1997, and was a founding chairman of the Democratic Party. He says his biggest regret was not ensuring universal suffrage, but promises to continue the fight for the rest of his life.