Asia-Pacific News
China intensifies anti-Dalai Lama rhetoric
By DPA
Apr 13, 2008, 11:59 GMT

Beijing - Chinese state media on Sunday continued to intensify rhetoric against the Dalai Lama, with fresh comment accusing the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader of encouraging violence and trying to 'tarnish the Beijing Olympic Games.'

'The Dalai Lama had never really given up his hope of 'Tibet independence' and had always been involved in anti-China political activities aimed at splitting the country and undermining national unity under the camouflage of religion,' said one government statement issued by the official Xinhua news agency.

'The Dalai clique falsely sought dialogue with the Chinese central government, truly confronting the government, falsely bragging for peace, but truly instigating violence,' said the commentary, which was issued in response to a resolution on Tibet adopted by the US House of Representatives last week.

It said independence protests and rioting in Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibet region, were 'organized, premeditated and deliberately masterminded and instigated by the Dalai clique.'

The protests and rioting aimed to 'instigate riots, separate Tibet from China, destroy the normal and harmonious living of the people in Tibet and tarnish the Beijing Olympic Games', it said.

A separate commentary said US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would probably top the poll if Chinese citizens had to choose their 'most disgusting figure.'

'The fact that Pelosi is detested by the Chinese people is closely connected with her recent move to clamour for 'Tibet independence' and instigate boycotting the Olympic Games,' it said.

On Saturday, Chinese President Hu Jintao also accused the Dalai Lama of 'instigating violence' in the recent protests and 'sabotaging the Beijing Olympics.'

In talks with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Hu rejected calls for dialogue with the Dalai Lama over the recent unrest.

Another commentary on Saturday accused the European Parliament of 'arrogant interference' by making a resolution calling for China to hold dialogue with the Dalai Lama and criticizing China's 'brutal repression' of Tibetans.

Police have detained thousands of people since the protests began began on March 10 in Lhasa, where they escalated into serious rioting on March 14.

The Chinese government has said 19 people were killed in the violence in Lhasa but the Tibetan government-in-exile said about 140 people were killed, most of them Tibetans shot by Chinese police.