World

Tibetan Exiles Mark Uprising

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

March 10, 1999 / 9:08 AM EST / CBS

On the 40th anniversary of his people's exile, the Dalai Lama Wednesday accused China of lacking the "political will and courage" to seek a compromise on Tibet.

Meanwhile, Tibetan protesters in New Delhi burned 40 Chinese flags, lit firecrackers, and burned an effigy representing Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The crowd also stood in silence for a minute to honor Tibetans who had died over the last four decades of Chinese rule.

An estimated 5,000 people, many in traditional Tibetan dress, strode behind the Tibetan flag toward the Indian parliament building, chanting slogans against what they call the Chinese occupation of their Himalayan homeland.

Hundreds of police officers accompanied the protesters, whose march snarled traffic on the capital's main roads.

"We condemn China's 40 years of illegal occupation of Tibet," and "China's open door policy is an eyewash," proclaimed the banners of the protesters, who handed out leaflets to bystanders.

In the northern town of Dharmsala, the Dalai Lama told 4,000 Tibetans and international observers (including Hollywood stars Richard Gere and Goldie Hawn) that China has intensified the repression of his people and was not prepared to hold talks.

"A lack of political will and courage on the part of the Chinese leadership has resulted in their failure to reciprocate my numerous overtures over the years," he said.

Tibetans are marking 40 years since the uprising against Chinese rule that resulted in the crackdown that forced the Dalai Lama to flee into exile. March 10 is known as Tibetan National Day in the Tibetan calendar.

About 5,000 Tibetans also demonstrated Wednesday in the Nepalese capital of Katmandu. "We want free Tibet. Tibet for the Tibetans, Long Live Dalai Lama," chanted the protesters.

And in Paris, two people scaled the walls of the Notre Dame cathedral under cover of darkness early Wednesday to place a Tibetan flag atop the landmark.

The Dalai Lama has been facing increasing pressure from younger Tibetans to abandon his moderate approach and demand full independence.

But, he said in his speech, he was confident he could control the radicals if China agreed to a "just and fair solution." He pledged to "use my moral authority to persuade the Tibetans not to seek separation."

In his speech, the Dalai Lama said secret talks with China through unidentified intermediaries broke down late last year "without obvious reason." That ended 18 months of hopeful informal contacts.

China sent its army into Tibet in 1950, claiming it was historically a Chinese province. Tibetans say they were independent for generations. Since the Dalai Lama fled, about 120,000 Tibetans have followed him into exile in India. Thousands more live in Europe and North America.

Protesters said more than 1.2 million Tibetans have died in their homeland since Chinese rule because of violnce.