Dalai Lama warns of 'cultural genocide'

The Dalai Lama has warned "cultural genocide" is taking place in Tibet after a bloody crackdown on protests by the Chinese authorities.

The exiled government of the Himalayan region says 80 people have been killed in clashes between armed Chinese police and Tibetans demonstrating against Beijing's rule.

China has said at least ten "innocent civilians" died, most of them in fires lit by rioters in the capital Lhasa.

Speaking from his headquarters at Dharamsala in northern India, the Dalai Lama, regarded by Buddhist Tibetans as their spiritual leader, said: "Whether Chinese government admits or not, there is a problem.

"The problem is the nation with ancient cultural heritage is actually facing serious dangers - whether as a Tibetan nation, ancient nation with ancient cultural heritage, is actually dying.

"And then also, whether intentionally or unintentionally, somewhere cultural genocide is taking place".

Chinese forces have defended the crackdown, saying police acted lawfully to stop rioting after a week of demonstrations led by Buddhist monks spilled over into violence.

Witnesses said Lhasa was teeming with armed police in riot gear and residents spoke only anonymously to journalists, fearful of repercussions in a country whose Communist authorities accept no challenge to their rule.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International called on China to account for all those detained in the crackdown and to release people held for "exercising their freedom of expression, association and assembly".

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also urged China to "release monks and others who have been detained solely for the peaceful expression of their views".

And Giselle Davies of the International Olympic Committee said: "We hope that calm can return to the region as quickly as possible."

China is keen to present a trouble-free image of unity ahead of the Beijing Games in August this year.

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