Many Dead, Dozens Injured During Chinese Crack Down in Tibet

International uproar increases as the Chinese central authorities crack down on the worst protests and rioting in Tibet in 20 years. According to unconfirmed reports, 100 people have been killed in the violence, although the official toll is 10 dead and dozens injured.

The streets of Lhasa saw pitched battles between protesters and riot police forces in what witnesses called "a state of siege" in the Tibetan capital. The protests started on Monday sparked by the anniversary of the failed 1959 uprising that sent the Dalai Lama into exile.

The protests have increased in ferocity throughout the week in what Chinese authorities consider a challenge to their rule and their carefully orchestrated Olympic Games preparations to turn Beijing into an international showcase of peace and progress.

The New York Times reports the Chinese authorities, fearing that the violence would spread outside Tibet, have deployed military police forces in other regions of the country with large Tibetan populations.

While heavy military vehicles patrol the streets of Lhasa, the Chinese authorities are blaming the Dalai Lama for masterminding the riots and vowed to maintain stability in the Tibetan capital. The Dalai Lama called the accusations "absolutelly baseless."

Protests have also been staged in many cities throughout the world in solidarity with the Buddhist monks and other ethnic Tibetans leading the protests.