Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, says China's policy of resettling Chinese people to Tibet amounts to what he calls "cultural genocide."
The Dalai Lama told reporters Saturday in New Delhi that the Chinese population in Tibet is increasing month by month. He estimated that 500,000 Chinese could already be living there. He described the development as "demographic aggression," but also said it may not be intentional.
The Dalai Lama said China looks stable, but he said there is a lot of resentment underneath, because the government rules by what he called "terror."
The Chinese government has rejected calls for a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, saying that he orchestrated the recent Tibetan protests to disrupt this year's Beijing Olympic games.
The Dalai Lama has called for an independent investigation into the allegation that he is behind the protests. He said he is not trying to drive a wedge between the Chinese and Tibetan peoples and does not seek Tibet's separation from China.
China has accused the Dalai Lama of seeking independence for Tibet.
Friday, the Dalai Lama expressed sorrow over the loss of Chinese lives during what he called the recent tragic events in Tibet. He also said he supports the Beijing Olympics and Chinese President Hu Jintao's policy objective of creating a "harmonious society."
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
