Dalai Lama repeats resignation threat
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The Dalai Lama reiterated on Sunday in Seattle that he is ready to quit as Tibet's spiritual leader if violence gets out of control, saying "if the majority of people commit violence, then I resign."
The belligerent commentaries by the official Xinhua news agency came the day after
A Tibetan source with strong contacts in its capital,
Neither the monastery nor the local police station could be reached for comment.
The Dalai Lama, 72, says he wants autonomy for
The Dalai Lama told a news conference in
“If violence becomes out of control then my only option is to resign,” the Nobel peace laureate said. “If the majority of people commit violence, then I resign.”
He made a similar threat last month.
Xinhua earlier denounced the Dalai Lama as a sham and said he dreamed of restoring the Tibetan feudal system of serfdom.
“It is indeed the anti-human rights nature of the Dalai clique that impels the ‘pro-Tibet independence’ separatists to undermine China’s stability and unity, disgrace China worldwide, and even sabotage the Olympic torch relay by all sorts of violent means,” the English-language commentary said.
“DISGUSTING FIGURE”
The Dalai Lama repeated on Friday that he opposed a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, but that has cut little ice with the Chinese authorities.
Chinese television on Sunday showed reporters searching for people it said were listed by the Dalai Lama’s supporters as victims of the riot and the government crackdown that followed.
Five who were listed with their
Foreign journalists are currently barred from
Xinhua also targeted Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, after she backed a resolution urging dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the end of a crackdown on non-violent protesters and a halt to repression in the region.
The People’s Daily accused the California Democrat of cynical double standards and said she would likely top any Chinese poll to find “the most disgusting figure.”
“Pelosi would remain the least popular person for
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