A senior official in Tibet has called on local authorities to make concerted effort to maintain social stability and promote economic development for the success of the Olympic Games in Beijing in August.

"We must...win the final victory in all respects against the secessionist forces to help ensure successful Olympic Games with a stable social situation in the Tibet Autonomous Region," Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government, told a meeting on Saturday.

His remarks came as the regional capital Lhasa is returning to normal after unrest on March 14 that was believed to be organized, premeditated and masterminded by the Dalai Lama clique.

The unrest, involving beating, smashing, ransacking and arson, led to the deaths of at least 18 innocent civilians and one police officer. It also left 382 civilians and 241 police officers injured, businesses looted, and residences, shops and vehicles torched.

Currently in Lhasa, the situation is returning to normal, with shops reopened, classes resumed and power supplies restored.

At Saturday's meeting, which was held by the regional government to deploy work for restoring normal life and production, the regional Department of Finance decided to offer preferential policies on taxes, loans and rents to businesses who suffered losses in the unrest.

"We must guarantee a stable social situation and unswervingly boost economic development in Tibet," Qiangba Puncog said. "The real motive for the Dalai clique is to sabotage the hard-won, long-term stability in the region and then spilt the motherland.

"Their attempts are doomed to fail and we are confident of making Tibet a more prosperous, peaceful and harmonious region," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 23, 2008)