Dalai Lama marks 50th anniversary of uprising with call for calm+

DHARAMSALA, India, March 10 Kyodo -
The Dalai Lama on Tuesday urged Tibetans to keep ''calm'' on the 50th
anniversary of an uprising against China and strongly denied Beijing's claim he
seeks to establish ''Greater Tibet'' on a quarter of Chinese territory and
drive away all those of non-Tibetan ethnicity.
At a press conference in Dharamsala, the seat of his government-in-exile in
northern India, the Dalai Lama expressed surprise at Chinese Foreign Minister
Yang Jiechi's recent allegations against him, saying Yang is either ''fully
ignorant'' of the facts or ''deliberately telling lies.''
On Saturday, Yang told reporters the Dalai Lama and his followers ''still
insist on establishing a so-called Greater Tibet on a quarter of Chinese
territory.''
''They want to drive away Chinese armed forces on Chinese territory and ask all
non-Tibetans to relocate themselves, people who have long spent their lives on
that part of Chinese territory,'' the minister said.
The Dalai Lama, in response, said, ''I ask the Chinese foreign minister when
and where I stated (that).''
''We have never asked for independence and asked armed forces and non-Tibetans
to leave Tibet,'' he said.
In a statement issued earlier in the day, the 73-year-old Tibetan spiritual
leader commemorated the peaceful uprising in Tibet on March 10, 1959, that was
crushed by China and which led to his flight into exile along with that of
nearly 100,000 other Tibetans.
''The Chinese authorities responded with unprecedented force that led to the
killing, arrests and imprisonment of tens of thousands of Tibetans in the
following months,'' he said.
Hundreds of thousands more died in subsequent decades of repressive and violent
campaigns, thrusting Tibetans ''into such depths of suffering and hardship that
they literally experienced hell on earth,'' he said.
Religious and cultural centers, historical buildings and monuments were
demolished, natural resources were indiscriminately exploited and Tibet's
fragile environment was left polluted and deforested, he said.
''These 50 years have brought untold suffering and destruction to the land and
people of Tibet,'' he concluded.
''Even today, Tibetans in Tibet live in constant fear and the Chinese
authorities remain constantly suspicious of them. Today, the religion, culture,
language and identity, which successive generations of Tibetans have considered
more precious than their lives, are nearing extinction. In short, the Tibetan
people are regarded like criminals deserving to be put to death.''
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu later Tuesday defended Beijing's
rule over Tibet, saying it has brought democratic reforms in the region.
''The Dalai Lama clique is confusing right and wrong and spreading rumors,'' Ma
said in response to the Dalai Lama's remarks about Chinese oppression made
earlier in the day.
''The democratic reforms carried out in 1959 in Tibet got rid of the feudal
system that brought politics and religion together and gave people freedom,''
he said.
Beijing says the Dalai Lama is seeking Tibetan independence, although he has
repeatedly denied that.
In his statement, the Dalai Lama said he is determined to pursue his ''middle
way'' policy which envisions Tibet remaining in the framework of China but with
all Tibetans being brought under a single autonomous administration.
''We are now pursuing this policy with greater confidence and will continue our
efforts toward achieving a meaningful national regional autonomy for all
Tibetans,'' he said.
While condemning China's policies on Tibet, he said he hopes a meaningful
outcome on Tibet will emerge.
''I have no doubt that the justice of Tibet's cause will prevail, if we
continue to tread the path of truth and nonviolence,'' he said.
==Kyodo
2009-03-10 20:40:25