Make Dalai Lama's Return A Reality: Exiled Leader

The prime minister of the self-declared Tibetan government-in-exile in India on Saturday urged his compatriots to strengthen efforts to make the return of the Dalai Lama to his native land a reality.

Lobsang Sangay said Tibet has seen 60 years of destruction of its civilisation, culture and identity by the Chinese since the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959.

He said the Dalai Lama "dreamt of himself in a room in the Potala Palace filled with light where he will be reunited with Tibetans inside Tibet." The Potala Palace in Lhasa was the residence of the Dalai Lama until he fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising.

"We Tibetan people with the support of people of India and abroad should strengthen our efforts to make his return to his Potala Palace a reality. Let us reunite the Dalai Lama with Tibetans inside Tibet who have spent the last 60 years with a hope, with a dream to get a glimpse of the Dalai Lama in their lifetime."

"Thousands and thousands of Tibetans have been killed and have died for the cause of Tibet. Many of them have burned themselves alive," he said in a hard-hitting speech.

The Dalai Lama thanked India for giving shelter to him and said the Tibetans have turned their unfortunate circumstances into a path of enlightenment by reviving their spirit and influence wherever they are.

The Dalai Lama and Sangay spoke at a public event in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala marking the beginning of the 60th year of the spiritual leader's exile in India.

The Indian government was represented by junior Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma. Earlier this month, local media reported that India had told top officials to avoid events held by Tibet's exile government to celebrate the Dalai Lama's life in India, fearful of hurting relations with China.

The Dalai Lama was subdued in his speech, but he has in the past said the issue of Tibet could be best resolved amicably through the middle way approach, by resuming dialogue with China and demanding true autonomy while remaining under Chinese rule.

China says Tibet has historically been part of its territory since the mid-13th century, and has governed it since 1951. But many Tibetans say the region was effectively independent for most of its history. (AP)