fwd >Further demolitions of historic buildings in Lhasa > >The authorities in Lhasa have begun to demolish a building complex under >UNESCO protection in the traditional Tibetan area closeto the Jokhang >Temple, the historic centre of the city. A three-storey century-old >townhouse within the complex that is also under the protection of the >municipal authorities in Lhasa may also be demolished, according to a >reliable report from Lhasa. The traditionally-built building complex is on >the corner of Dekyi Shar Lam (Chinese: Beijing Dong Lu) and Mentsikhang >Lam, an area that falls within the Lingkor, the traditional pilgrimage >circuit around the Tibetan capital. The impending demolition of the >buildings marks a further erosion of the urban fabric and traditional >character of the area. Several representatives made an unsuccessful appeal >to local officials to request that the demolition should not take place, >but tenants of the building complex were given five days notice to move >out on 24 April. > >The townhouse threatened with demolition has been declared a protected >building at the municipal level in Lhasa, and it falls within the >protected zone of the Barkor under the UNESCO World Heritage List. A >spokesperson for UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and >Cultural Organisation) in Paris said that they were "very concerned about >the situation" and "would try to halt this demolition before it happens". >UNESCO has already expressed concern about two recent architectural >developments in Lhasa - the construction of a 37-metre high monument to >commemorate the "peaceful liberation" of Tibet in the Potala Square (see: >http://www.tibetinfo.net/news-updates/2002/0402.htm) and a 13-storey >Public Security Bureau building north of the Barkor pilgrimage area (see: >http://www.tibetinfo.net/news-updates/2002/2602.htm). Both these >developments are outside the protection zone of the World Heritage List, >but UNESCO has expressed concern on the grounds that they are "intrusive" >within the context of "the urban fabric of the city". > >Note: A map and images of the area can be viewed at TIN's website at: >http://www.tibetinfo.net/reports/culture/lhasamap.htm and in the section >Images: Culture > >
