Dalai Lama slams China on key anniversary

The Dalai Lama has hit out at China on the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan rebellion against Chinese rule. Tibet’s spiritual leader, who has been in exile in India ever since, accused China of killing hundreds of thousands of his people and continued calls for Tibetan autonomy.

He said from his base in Dharmsala: “I think the local Chinese authorities want more crisis so that they can crush it easily. We have to prepare for the worst and at the same time we should not give up our hope.”

China responded to the Dalai Lama’s criticism by saying he was trying to spread lies and rumours. Security was high in Tibet and in Chinese provinces with large Tibetan populations. That did not stop rallies on other continents.

In Berlin, protestors for a free Tibet lay fake bodybags outside the Chinese embassy. Demonstrations were more heated in the Australian capital, Canberra, where police arrested four protestors.

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tags: Anniversary, China, Dalai Lama