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Dalai Lama condemns China as protests spread

"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some cultural genocide is taking place. They simply rely on using force in order to simulate peace -- a peace brought by force using a rule of terror."

the Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual leader in exile

Tibetan spiritual leader in exile the Dalai Lama condemned a "rule of terror" in his native Tibet yesterday as Chinese forces blanketed the region's capital in security and pro-independence protests spread elsewhere in China.

A fresh protest in Sichuan Province reportedly left at least seven people dead in a dangerous escalation of the uprising by Tibetans against China's rule of the vast Himalayan region.

The violence has left at least 80 people dead, according to Tibet's government-in-exile, although the official death toll in China's state-run media remained at 10.

The unrest is a huge domestic crisis for China as it tries to present a peaceful image ahead of the Beijing Olympics, but it nevertheless vowed on yesterday to wage a "people's war" against the influence of the exiled Dalai Lama.

Speaking from his base in Dharamsala, India, the revered Buddhist spiritual leader launched a scathing criticism of China's 57-year rule of Tibet and called for an international probe into the unrest.

"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some cultural genocide is taking place," the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner told reporters. "They simply rely on using force in order to simulate peace -- a peace brought by force using a rule of terror."

"Please investigate, if possible ... some international organization can try firstly to inquire about the situation in Tibet," said.

In the protest in Sichuan, at least seven people were killed when police shot at hundreds of rioting Tibetans in the town of Ngawa, a resident and two activist groups with contacts there said.

This followed two consecutive days of protest at the Labrang monastery in Gansu Province, which like Sichuan has a large ethnic Tibetan population.

Meanwhile, foreigners in Lhasa reported a massive security presence still in place, as Hong Kong TV footage showed heavily armed security forces patrolling the city.

Despite official Chinese claims of calm in Lhasa, foreigners who flew out of the city reported hearing repeated gunfire on Saturday.

"I heard muffled gunshot fire. There was no question about it," one tourist, Gerald Flint, a former US Marine who runs a medical non-governmental organization, told reporters at Chengdu airport in Sichuan.

Flint said security forces poured into Lhasa on Saturday but there was still "chaos" on the streets.

The worst reported violence occurred on Friday, when Tibetans rampaged through Lhasa, destroying Chinese businesses and torching police cars.

Despite being under intense international pressure to show restraint, Beijing indicated it was in no mood to compromise. It has set a deadline of midnight tonight for those involved in the demonstrations to surrender.

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