Chinese County in Lockdown After Pro-Tibet Protests

On Jan. 27, for instance, five Tibetan monks staged a protest near a monastery in Dege county in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province and called for Tibetan independence, Tibetan advocates said.

The protests this week were related to plans by Tibetans in exile and in China to observe a year of mourning and forego Tibetan New Year celebrations in memory of those who were killed during last year's violence.

The New Year, called Losar, falls on Feb. 26 this year, and celebrations usually last three to 15 days.

According to Free Tibet, the protests in Lithang began when a 37-year-old resident named Lobsang Lhundup took to the streets, shouting "No Losar this year" and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

Witnesses said he was quickly joined by a crowd of others who echoed his chants.

Police detained Lobsang Lhundup and a second round of protests ensued when authorities refused to release him.

Lithang is a tiny place, said Zhou, the grocery store owner. But now "more than one thousand armed policemen and public security people patrol in the street and intersection. I heard more army will be transferred to Lithang County."

"We are not allowed to go outside; the curfew started from the day before yesterday," said Anhui, a 19-year-old Tibetan resident.

Zhang Yu, who sells tickets at the bus station, said phone lines were being monitored.

Ma Long, 35, owner of a Tibetan robe and decoration shop, said all businesses had been ordered shut: "There are dozens of armed policemen and public security policemen patrolling in front of my door. Such kinds of things don't happen often."

Researchers Zhang Jie and Liu Liu contributed to this report.