Doje Cezhug, the mayor of Lhasa, capital of Tibet, told Xinhua on Monday that conditions in the city had returned to normal after an outbreak of violence on Friday.

He said that the killing, looting, burning and smashing by a small number of rioters had disturbed social order and posed a serious threat to the security of people's lives and their property in Lhasa.

With the strong leadership of the central government, the timely action of the regional government and the joint efforts of the people, the normal order of production and life has been restored in Lhasa, he said.

As of Monday, traffic on the main Lhasa streets has resumed. Government bodies, businesses, schools, and major farm produce markets are operating normally, said Doje Cezhug.

Government is also distributing relief goods to citizens and small businesses that incurred heavy losses in the riot.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 17, 2008)