Source: Tibet People's Broadcasting Station, Lhasa, in Standard Chinese 1400 gmt 22 May 96

Text of public notice issued by the Tibet autonomous regional higher people's court, the Tibet autonomous regional people's procuratorate, the Tibet autonomous regional public security department and the Tibet autonomous regional judicial department, as broadcast by Chinese regional radio from Tibet

At present, we can see a situation of social stability, economic development and strong border defence in the autonomous region. The masses are living and working in peace and contentment.

However, factors of instability still exist in the autonomous region. A small number of separatists have engaged in violent activities such as blowing things up [Chinese: bao zha]. Various criminal activities are still rampant, including major and serious crimes such as using and trafficking in narcotics, producing and peddling pornographic items, prostitution and gambling, and those ugly social evils still exist despite repeated efforts to wipe them out. In particular, while the whole country is launching a serious struggle against crimes, a small number of law offenders have continued to commit crimes and have seriously disrupted social stability and people's normal life in the autonomous region.

In order to maintain normal public order in society and guarantee the safety of people's lives and property and solve the current conspicuous public security problems in the autonomous region, a struggle to resolutely fight against splittism and sabotage activities and serious criminal activities has been launched throughout the autonomous region in accordance with the guidelines of the party Central Committee, the regional party committee and the regional government on launching a serious struggle against crimes.

The following is a public notice:

1. The current struggle seriously to crack down on crimes is launched under the direct leadership of party committees and governments at various levels and by relying on people of various nationalities in the autonomous region. We have promptly solved a number of major cases, detained a number of law offenders, destroyed a number of criminal groups and arrested a number of important criminals. We have resolutely suppressed the arrogant style of law offenders and effectively maintained normal public order in society. Our main tasks are to resolutely crack down on cases of explosion and assassination committed by separatists; various sabotage activities such as beating, smashing and looting; murder, robbery, rape and other serious violent crimes; stealing, manufacturing, peddling and illegal holding of firearms and ammunitions and explosives; theft; hooligans, thugs and sinister, underground gangs; and other serious crimes. We should firmly crack down on prostitution and visiting prostitutes, producing and p

eddling pornographic items, using and trafficking in drugs, sponsoring gambling and other ugly things in society. We should make great efforts to improve those public security problems which are strongly hated by the masses.

2. All offices, institutions, schools, enterprises and other undertakings, districts and mass organizations have the obligation and responsibility to plunge into the struggle seriously to crack down on crimes. They should voluntarily provide clues and proofs of crimes to public security and judicial organizations, make reports on and expose the crimes of law offenders and assist public security organizations in investigating and solving criminal cases. We should vigorously commend and award those who have made outstanding achievements in helping public security organizations solve criminal cases and those units and individuals who have made important reports to the law-enforcement authorities. We should seriously crack down on those who retaliate against people who have reported crimes. We should effectively protect the lives and properties of those who make reports on crimes.

3. Those who admit their crimes and surrender themselves to law-enforcement authorities are never too late to mend their ways. All law offenders must stop doing evil things and surrender to local public security or judicial organizations before 30th June. Towards those who take the initiative to frankly confess their wrongdoings and report and expose the crimes of other law offenders with good results, we should reduce or exempt punishments for them in accordance with the law. After the publication of this public notice, those who refuse to surrender to the law enforcement authorities, run away or even continue to commit crimes will be punished in a more severe and prompt manner when they are apprehended and be punished in a relentless manner. Those who connive at crimes and protect and hide criminals will be punished together with criminals.

4. The political and judicial organizations shoulder the sacred responsibility and duty of safeguarding the people, striking at the enemies and protecting the dignity of law. The broad masses of people are encouraged to make reports on violations of law in the course of handling various criminal cases so as to ensure the healthy implementation of the struggle to serious crack down on crimes.

5. This public notice will become effective on the day of promulgation.

[Dated] 20th May 1996.