Bainqen Erdini Qoigyi Gyaincain, vice-chairman of the sixth National People's Congress Standing Committee, reaffirmed the central government's five-point policy on the Dalai Lama's return to the motherland at a press conference held on April 4 in Beijing.

He said the five-point policy remains unchanged. The sole condition for the Dalai Lama's return is that he must give up his activities for Tibet independence, acknowledge that Tibet is an inseparable part of China's territory and join in the efforts of people of all nationalities to safeguard national unity and build a socialist country, including a socialist Tibet.

If the Dalai returns to the motherland but continues his separatist activities, this will not be allowed, Beinqen said.

If the Dalai accepts the condition, Bainqen said the central authorities have made it known that he may become a vice-chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

In reply to a question raised by a reporter from the American Broadcasting Corporation, Bainqen said the riot on September 27 last year was started by a small number of lamas who were followed by about 1,000-2,000 laymen. The riot on October 1 was more serious. The police detained a small number of lamas and others who participated in the riot, but most of them were released later.

Bainqen said that when he went to Tibet earlier this year, he found that 74 lamas and other people were still being detained. Soon after his arrival, 59 lamas and other people who participated directly in the riots were released. Most of the 15 people who are still in prison committed serious crimes such as burning, looting and assaulting people during the unrest. A couple of lamas were members of underground organizations which instigated the unrest. All the people who participated in the riots were treated leniently, he said.

"Most of the 15 detainees would have been set free if there had not been a further riot in March," he said. Referring to the March 5 riot, Bainqen said it was started by about 100 lamas who were later joined by several thousand other people. If the onlookers are included, the total number was close to 10,000.

During the riot, he said, four people were killed and one person later died of severe injuries in hospital　 despite　 emergency treatment.

Bainqen announced that he was being officially rehabilitated by the National People's Congress for the wrongful accusations against him in the early 1960s and during the "cultural revolution."

He said he was criticized for being frank and outspoken in a 70,000-word report to the central government about the situation in Tibet and other Tibetan-inhabited areas.

Bainqen said he owed his survival to the late premier Zhou Enlai and his rehabilitation to Deng Xiaoping. His rehabilitation reflects the resolve and farsightedness of the central government, he said. (The full text of the questions and answers at the press conference will be issued in the next issue of Beijing Review.).

(This article appears on page 18, No. 15, 1988)