Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Tuesday appealed to the 14 Tibetans to end their month-long hunger strike, saying that this form of violence is unlikely to bring about the positive results for their demand for greater autonomy for Tibet.
Dharamshala, Aug 7 : Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Tuesday appealed to the 14 Tibetans to end their month-long hunger strike, saying that "this form of violence" is unlikely to bring about the positive results for their demand for greater autonomy for Tibet.
He said the immense hardships endured by the Tibetans on hunger strike so far, have fulfilled a key objective - it has attracted much publicity and caught the attention of the international community as well as inspired Tibetans living inside and outside of Tibet.
In his appeal to the striking Tibetans, the Dalai Lama said: "I earnestly appeal to you all to discontinue your hunger strike immediately."
The Dalai Lama says he wants greater autonomy, not independence, for his predominantly Buddhist homeland, but China considers him a separatist.
China had recently sought to thwart the Dalai Lama's overseas trips.
Thousands of Tibetans led by the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, nine years after China's communist army entered Tibet and overthrew the Buddhist theocracy there.
ANI