Beijing yesterday rejected an accusation by the Dalai Lama that some monks involved in the Lhasa riots were disguised mainland armed police, saying the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader was using an old photograph taken out of context in order to smear the mainland.
Several western news groups, which state-owned media targeted in a discrediting campaign, were also accused of spreading 'the lie'.
The Global Times, affiliated to Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, splashed a front-page story yesterday saying the photograph circulated on the internet was taken at least three years ago. It showed officers of the People's Armed Police (PAP) carrying Tibetan monks' robes.
The Dalai Lama said on Saturday that Beijing had disguised its troops as monks to give the impression that Tibetan monks were instigating the riots in Lhasa on March 14.
The mainland newspaper said the security forces quelling riots in Lhasa could not possibly have been wearing the uniforms shown in the photograph because they were summer uniforms, unsuitable for the cold March weather.
It also said the PAP had changed to new uniforms in 2005, which feature shoulder emblems. The armed officers shown in the photograph were in old-style uniforms which had been phased out after 2005. The newspaper attacked the Dalai Lama, saying 'it is not the first time the Dalai clique twisted facts' and that the Indian town of Dharamsala, where his government-in-exile is located, 'is a source of lies'. The story was picked up by Xinhua and major news websites. Xinhua said the photograph was taken during a performance years ago, when soldiers borrowed robes from monks before performing on stage.