Published by: World Tibet Network News, Satureday, May 5, 1996

SWB FE/D2603/CNS 040596

New Tibet Armed Police commander; leader praises anti-separatist role of force

Source: `Xizang Ribao', Lhasa, in Chinese 8 Apr 96 p1

Excerpts from Chinese regional newspaper `Xizang Ribao' report by Li Xianxiong [2621 2009 7160] entitled: "Tibet Armed Police group holds ceremony to announce orders - Basang, Yang Chuantang, Zi Cheng, Li Liguo present"

The conference hall of the Tibet Group of the People's Armed Police Force's cultural centre was permeated with a jubilant atmosphere on the afternoon of 6th April. More than 300 police officers gathered in the hall for a ceremony to announce orders.

Regional leaders Basang, Yang Chuantang, Zi Cheng, Li Liguo, Xu Mingyang, Luosang Toinzhub and Zhou Qishun, as well as responsible comrades of relevant departments, attended the ceremony.

Zhang Zhu, political commissar of the Tibet Armed Police Group, chaired the ceremony.

Wang Peisheng, a representative from the People's Armed Police Force Headquarters, read out the orders of the State Council and the Central Military Commission appointing Tan Huasheng [6223 5478 3932] as commander of the Tibet Group of the People's Armed Police Force equivalent to the rank of deputy corps commander [Chinese: fu jun zhi 0479 6511 5120]; Jia-jin, Lei Shengyun, and Xie Feng as deputy group commanders equivalent to the rank of division commander; Song Zifa,

Pu-bu Ci-ren [?Phurba Tsering - Tibetan] and Luo Wanxiang as deputy political commissars equivalent to the rank of division commander; Chen Baichun as director of the political department equivalent to the rank of division commander; and Zhou Guiyun as director of the logistics department equivalent to the rank of division commander...

Basang, deputy secretary of the regional party committee, delivered an important speech at the ceremony. She said: Since its establishment, the Tibet Group of the People's Armed Police Force has made important contributions to consolidating the southwestern border of the motherland, safeguarding the unification of the motherland and the unity of all nationalities, stabilizing the situation in Tibet, dealing blows at the separatist forces, maintaining public order,

protecting the lives and property of the people, participating in local construction, assisting people in developing production, combating natural disasters and providing disaster relief, helping

people shake off poverty, and doing good for the people. Particularly, in the past disturbances created by a handful of separatists in Tibet in a vain attempt to split the motherland and

undermine national unity, the leading body of the armed police group, with a strong patriotic spirit and dauntless revolutionary heroism, have closely united its officers and men to charge forward; members of the group have always fought in the forefront of the struggle against separatism and resolutely struggled against the separatists; they have safeguarded the unification of the motherland, national unity and the stability of the situation in Tibet with their own

blood or even with their own lives, thus rendering outstanding meritorious service for the people and winning the full trust and affirmation of the party Central Committee, the State Council, the

Central Military Commission, the regional party committee and government, and the people of various nationalities in the region...