Eyewitnesses have reported that demolition work has begun on a building close to the Jokhang Temple in Old Lhasa The building complex is within the Barkhor area, designated by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) as a protected zone, and contains a three-storey century-old townhouse which may also be demolished. The building complex is on the corner of Dekyi Shar Lam (Chinese: Beijing Dong Lu) and Mentsikhang Lam (the street where Snowlands Hotel is located). According to Tibet Information Network (TIN), several local 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.

A Western tourist has described how the contents of the building were being removed in preparation for the demolition work. TIN has received a reliable report from Lhasa which suggests that the historic stone and mud brick townhouse known as the Samding Khangsar, now slated for demolition, will be replaced with a standard courtyard development, fronted by a four-storey building in contemporary stonework.

A UNESCO spokesman has said that the organisaton was "very concerned about the situation" and "would try to halt this demolition before it happens". UNESCO has expressed concern about a number of other developments in the city which erode the urban fabric and traditional character of the area. TIN has a map and images of the area on its website:
http://www.tibetinfo.net/reports/culture/lhasamap.htm, in the section Images: Culture

Please send immediate letters calling for the demolition to be halted to:

Zhang Bai
The State Bureau of Cultural Relics
29 Wusi Street
BEIJING 100009
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 10 6401 3101
(Salutation: Dear Sir)

Ma Zhengang
HE The Ambassador, Chinese Embassy
49 - 51 Portland Place
London W1N 3AH
Fax: 020 7636 2981
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Zhang Bai is a representative in China of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

Please send requests for assistance in this matter to: