22 MAY 1993, Page 25

Legal ethnic cleansing

Sir: Could anyone (especially John Simpson in 'Empire of the senseless', 15 May) tell me what was illegal abut the Chinese occu- pation of Tibet in 1950? Which states recognised Tibetan independence? Cer- tainly the UN did not.

It might be unpleasant and murderous but to be illegal some laws must be broken. Which one?

Peter Howard

23 Magdalen Avenue, Bath, Avon