China appoints career law official to head Tibetan area

Beijing, Feb 16 (ANI): China has appointed a career legal official to run the ethnically Tibetan area in the country's southwest region, where many monks and nuns have set themselves on fire recently in protest against Beijing's rule.

Liu Zuoming, 54, who previously headed the Sichuan province justice bureau, took up the post of Communist Party Secretary of the Aba Prefecture in Sichuan province on Saturday.

Aba is home to the Tibetan Buddhist Kirti monastery and has seen increased protests and a spate of self-immolations.

In the last year, at least 21 young Tibetans have set themselves on fire in apparent protest against China's rule.

According to The BBC, Zuoming who has a track record of almost 30 years in law enforcement, recently urged the region to unite in efforts towards 'development and security' for the area.

"The objectives, mission and direction of work to be done in the region were clear. The crux of the matter lay in strong enforcement, Zuoming said, suggesting a hard-line stand against the unrest.

Last week, the Chinese Communist Party chief in Tibet sacked four officials for 'endangering stability' in the region.

The regional government had issued a warning to officials to maintain stability or face dismissal or criminal charges. (ANI)