DHARMSALA, India (AP) — The prime minister of the self-declared Tibetan government-in-exile urged his compatriots Saturday to strengthen efforts to make the return of the Dalai Lama to his native land a reality.
Lobsang Sangay also said Tibet has seen 60 years of destruction of its civilization, culture and identity by the Chinese since the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans’ spiritual leader, fled to India in 1959. The Dalai Lama and Sangay spoke at a public event in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala marking the beginning of the 60th year of the spiritual leader’s exile in India.
“We Tibetan people with the support of people of India and abroad should strengthen our efforts to make his return to his Potala Palace a reality,” Sangay said. “Let us reunite the Dalai Lama with Tibetans inside Tibet who have spent the last 60 years with a hope, with a dream to get a glimpse of the Dalai Lama in their lifetime.”
The Dalai Lama thanked India for giving shelter to him and said the Tibetans have turned their unfortunate circumstances into a path of enlightenment by reviving their spirit and influence wherever they are.
China says Tibet has historically been part of its territory since the mid-13th century, and has governed it since 1951. But many Tibetans say the region was effectively independent for most of its history.