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/ 17 July 2006

Tourism threatens the jewel of Tibet

Forty years ago during the Cultural Revolution, it took an edict from China’s then premier Zhou Enlai to protect the Potala Palace from the destruction of the infamous Red Guards. Now a new menace — tourism — threatens the jewel of Tibetan Buddhism, which has come to be the symbol of Tibet.

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/ 6 July 2006

Railway poses new dangers to fragile Tibetan plateau

While China is keen to stress the environmentally friendly aspects of the new railway to Tibet, many are concerned about the line’s impact on the Himalayan region’s fragile ecosystem. China has said 1,54-billion yuan (-million) was spent on railway-related projects to protect the environment, such as 33 crossings especially arranged for the Tibetan antelope, a protected species.