More of the shops that were damaged or looted in the March 14 riot in Lhasa have reopened and will be exempted from certain taxes and fees for two years.

The government of the Tibet Autonomous Region has promised to exempt the 908 damaged shops from business and corporate income taxes, urban maintenance and construction taxes and educational surcharges.

Shop owners will not have to pay personal income tax from March1 this year to April 28, 2010.

"We resumed operation after the reconstruction of our supermarket, and the government gave business people confidence by offering incentives," said Wei Dingli, a manager at the Baiyi Supermarket. The store's losses resulting from the unrest were estimated at 900,000 yuan (US$128,571).

Additionally, local authorities have allocated 600,000 yuan to seven schools burned in the unrest. The money will go for repairs and new equipment.

Lhasa is returning to normal after the March 14 riot that was believed to have been organized, premeditated and masterminded by backers of the Dalai Lama.

The unrest, which involved violent crimes against people and property, led to the deaths of at least 18 innocent civilians and one police officer. It also left 382 civilians and 241 police officers injured.

Rioters set fire to seven schools, five hospitals and 120 residences, and 84 vehicles were burned and 908 shops were looted. Total damage has been estimated at more than 244 million yuan.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2008)