Qamdo Liberation Anniversary Marked in LhasaThe Qamdo prefecture in China's Tibet Autonomous Region celebrated Tuesday the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the prefecture, which falls on October 19.Qamdo was liberated by the Chinese People's Liberation Army on October 19, 1950, with the support of the people of the Tibetan and Han ethnic groups in a military campaign. The successful campaign was considered a turning point in peaceful liberation of other parts of Tibet, which helped foil attempts to split Tibet from China by imperialists and Tibetan separatists. Li Jiahua, vice-commissioner of the prefecture, speaking at a discussion attended by old cadres who were born or worked in the prefecture, recalled those who died in the campaign and those contributing to the democratic reform and economic construction in the region. Lhalu Ciwandoje, former commissioner in Qamdo appointed by post-liberation Tibet in 1947, told the discussion group he was surprised at the drastic changes in Qamdo during the past five decades. In 1947, there were few temples and several wooden houses in the seat of Qamdo local government, said the former commissioner. He said he had to live in one of the temples when he first arrived and had to rely on food provided by local residents. High-rises have been built recently on what used to be the barren and stony land, while great changes have taken place in medical care, living and education conditions, said the old Tibetan official. |
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