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China's Xinhua publishes criticism of Dalai Lama

AFP

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama addresses journalists in Dharamsala on 23 November 2008. China’s state press Monday condemned the Dalai Lama and his followers for their “support of secession” in the first comments published in the country since Tibetan exiles decided to stick with a moderate China policy.AFP/Manan Vatsyayana/India

China’s state press Monday condemned the Dalai Lama and his followers for their “support of secession” in the first comments published in the country since Tibetan exiles decided to stick with a moderate China policy.

Comments carried by the official Xinhua news agency condemned Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader and others for their “continued support of secession by violent means while waving the banner of ‘peace’.”

Quoting a commentary in the Tibet Daily, an official newspaper, Xinhua said the Dalai Lama and his followers failed to keep their word after promising not to support activities against the Olympics or any acts in favour of secession.

Xinhua made no mention of a meeting of Tibetan exiles that took place last week in India to seek to offer new guidance to the Buddhist spiritual leader after he said his “middle way” approach of talks with China had failed.

This was the first comment published in China on the Dalai Lama since the meeting ended on Saturday, although the country’s foreign ministry has yet to express an opinion on the discussions.

Tibetan exiles Saturday backed the Dalai Lama’s middle way approach of attempting to secure concessions from China on securing “meaningful autonomy” for Tibet, which he fled in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The decision came despite a number of participants calling for the approach to be replaced by an unequivocal demand for independence.

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending in troops to “liberate” the region.

Copyright © 2008 Agence France-Presse

Published in AFP/Google News