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As quake draws focus, China keeps Tibet under thumb John Ruwitch Last month's devastating earthquake diverted world attention from China's troubles in Tibet, but protests and arrests have continued in the region and the leadership has been girding for more trouble. Since the May 12 quake that killed around 70,000 people and was centered in an ethnic Tibetan prefecture of Sichuan province, more than 80 Buddhist nuns and a dozen monks have been detained following new protests, and a female student was shot at in a public square, Tibet rights groups have said. "There's no evidence that the crackdown has abated since the quake. Indeed, the authorities have done everything they can to ensure that the hardline restrictions remain in place," said Kate Saunders of the International Campaign for Tibet. The government is on alert for protests when the Olympic torch is run through Lhasa on June 18. Authorities are also jittery about trouble during the current month-long Saga Dawa festival, which marks the Buddha's birthday. Tibet and vast stretches of Tibetan-populated territory in nearby provinces have been closed since mid-March when anti-Beijing protests turned violent in Lhasa, making it difficult to confirm reports of demonstrations and arrests. What is clear, however, is that the ruling Communist Party is not letting up and is preparing for a prolonged struggle, vowing to strengthen management of monasteries and promote ethnic unity through propaganda and indoctrination. Late last week, Tibet's Communist Party leadership set the tone in its first major meeting since the Lhasa unrest. In a keynote speech the region's hardline party boss, Zhang Qingli, said the return to relative normalcy was a "partial victory".
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