Dalai Lama stirring up Tibetan unrest, says China

Published on Tuesday 18 March 2008 22:04

THE Dalai Lama has rejected accusations by China that he is responsible for the recent unrest and that he is attempting to sabotage the country's hosting of this year's Olympics.

The exiled spiritual leader said Tibetans needed to live side-by-side with Chinese and reaffirmed that independence was "out of the question".

Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, earlier accused him of masterminding riots.

China says 13 were killed by rioters in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. But Tibetan exiles say 99 have died.

The protests began on 10 March – the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against China – and have gradually escalated.

The Dalai Lama spoke in Dharamsala in India, where his Free Tibet Movement is based. The 72-year-old, who in 1989 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his consistent opposition to the use of violence, said that even if "1,000 Tibetans sacrificed their life", this would be "not much help".

When asked if he might resign if the violence spiralled, the Dalai Lama said the same question had been put to him during the 1987 uprising: "If things are getting out of control, then the option is to completely resign," he said.

Clarifying his remarks, his secretary, Chime Chhoekyapa, told the BBC that there had been no indication that Tibetans were taking up arms and therefore there was no likelihood of the Dalai Lama stepping down.