Former vice-chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Ragdi said here Wednesday morning that the distorted news coverage on the recent Lhasa riot is "outrageous and ill motivated".

"Some Western media purposely distorted the facts and viciously described severe crime as peaceful demonstration, so as to slander our legitimate efforts to keeping social stability as violent crackdown," the Tibet-born Ragdi said.

"It's outrageous that the irresponsible news coverage of some Western media even failed to discover facts of the riot," Ragdi told a meeting of the Counseling Committee on Development of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

"Without knowing even the basic facts about the crime made by rioters," Ragdi said, "some Western media posed as hypocrites to clamorously advise the Chinese government not suppress peaceful demonstration and respect human rights."

"No government in the world would sit idly by as such a severe riot occurs, no government would do nothing to prevent further harmful activities, no government would allow the lawless to make terrors and destabilize social security," said Ragdi, also honorary chairman of the counseling committee on Tibet's development.

"The responsibilities of the government and the law enforcement are to protect safety of people's life and their property, and a stable and harmonious society," Ragdi said. "We'd never shy away from such responsibilities."

"The cut-throat combat between us and the Dalai clique with its antagonistic supporters in some Western countries is a significant political competition for choice on separation on unification," he said.

"The severe violence and riot which occurred in Lhasa recently is neither a social security problem, nor an ethnic problem," he stated.

"It has nothing to do with democracy," Ragdi said.

Ragdi said the plot of a tiny handful of people to sabotage the stability and harmony of Tibet will not gain the Tibetan people's support and is doomed to failure.

The riot erupted in Lhasa on the afternoon of last Friday. Lawless people set fires at more than 300 locations and attacked schools, banks, hospitals, shops, government offices, utilities and state media offices. Thirteen civilians were burnt or stabbed to death in the incident.

"The Communist Party of China committee and government of Tibet have taken effective measures and the situation in Lhasa has been basically put under control," Ragdi said.

The life in Lhasa has returned to normal. Traffic on the main streets has resumed. Government institutions, businesses, schools, and major farm produce markets have started normal operation, said Lhasa mayor Doje Cezhug.

The local government is also distributing relief goods to citizens and small businesses that incurred heavy losses in the riot.

The separatist activities of the Dalai clique have never stopped and "we should be fully aware of the long-term, tough and complicated struggle against it," Rogdi said.

"With the support from across the nation, the Tibet regional government is capable of maintaining the social stability and legal order to protect the fundamental interests of people of all ethnic groups in Tibet," he said.

Tibet regional government said 105 people had surrendered to police by 11 p.m. on Tuesday for involvement in the Lhasa riot.

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2008)