By IANS,
Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, Tuesday participated in the prayers in this Himachal Pradesh town for victims of the ongoing repression by the Chinese forces at Kirti monastery in north-eastern Tibet.
The situation at Kirti monastery, home to nearly 2,500 monks, is grim following a monk’s self-immolation there March 16 to protest the Chinese repression of the widespread peaceful demonstrations across Tibet in 2008.
The prayers, organised by various Tibetan organisations, were attended by thousands of exiles, including monks, nuns and sympathisers.
Senior leaders of the government-in-exile, including prime minister Samdhong Rinpoche, also participated.
The government-in-exile April 23 appealed to the international community to persuade China not to use force against locals.
“We strongly appeal to the international community, governments and parliaments to persuade China not to use force to resolve the crisis that is facing the monks in Ngaba,” the Kashag (cabinet) said in a statement here.
The Kirti monastery has been completely surrounded since March 16 by Chinese armed forces, who at one point prevented food and other vital supplies from entering the monastic compound.
The Dalai Lama has already made an appeal to the international community in this regard.
“I am very concerned that this situation, if allowed to go on, may become explosive with catastrophic consequences for the Tibetans in Ngaba,” he said.