Dalai Lama Speaks Out

Dharamsala, India - The Dalai Lama accused China on Sunday of waging "cultural genocide" against his followers in Tibet and called for an international inquiry into the suppression of protests there, his strongest defense to date of Tibetan Buddhists who have staged an uprising against Chinese rule.

Speaking at the headquarters of the Tibetan government in exile, the Dalai Lama endorsed the right of his people to press grievances peacefully against the Chinese authorities, and said he would not ask Tibetans to surrender to Chinese military police by midnight on Monday, as Beijing has demanded. He said that he had no moral authority to do so and that Tibetans had beseeched him not to capitulate to that demand.

"Whether the Chinese government admits it or not, a nation with an ancient cultural heritage is actually facing serious dangers," the Dalai Lama told reporters during an emotionally charged news conference here. "Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some kind of cultural genocide is taking place."

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Washington Post Article:
Police Crack Down on Anti-Chinese Violence in Tibet

UPDATE:
Reacting to a week of sometimes bloody protests in Tibet, the Dalai Lama said Tuesday that he would resign as the spiritual head of the Tibetan government-in-exile if the violence went out of control. At the same time, the revered religious figure vehemently denied Chinese accusations that he was organizing the riots.