Police kept reporters well away from the peaceful protest by dozens of apparently ethnic Tibetan students gathered inside the Central University for Nationalities.

It was a small, rare show of defiance in the host city of this year's Olympic Games, where Communist Party authorities are especially eager to prevent public shows of dissent. The vigil was broken up by authorities hours before a deadline in Tibet's regional capital, Lhasa, for protesters who rioted through the city to surrender or face harsher treatment afterward.

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet regional government, said only 13 "innocent civilians" had been killed and dozens of security personnel injured.

As the deadline approached, a Chinese spokesman said his government would not compromise with Tibet's exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, or re-examine its policies in Tibet.

China said it had shown great restraint in the face of violent protests by Tibetans and Lhasa was returning to order. Ehnic Tibetan people  said angry anti-Chinese demonstrations were still sporadically erupting.

INDIA ASKED TO BE 'OBJECTIVE'
New Delhi, Agencies: As Tibetan activists made another foiled attempt to storm the Chinese embassy here and the Lhasa violence echoed in Parliament, Beijing on Monday reminded New Delhi of the growing ties between them and hoped it will not be taken in by “rumours created by the Dalai clique.” “We hope that Indian friends can clearly see the nature of those instigating and conspiring activities of the Dalai clique, which aim at splitting China and disrupting Beijing Olympics,” Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan told select journalists at the Chinese embassy here. As the Monday midnight deadline set by China for Tibetan protesters to surrender approached, the Chinese envoy also urged “Indian friends” not to believe the “rumours created by the Dalai clique and anti-China forces and maintain an objective and correct stand, and avoid any irresponsible words and acts.”