Speaking on the 50th anniversary of the anti-Beijing revolt that led to his flight to exile, the Dalai Lama said the last five decades had “brought untold suffering and destruction to the people of Tibet”.
Chinese policies in Tibet “thrust Tibetans into such depths of suffering and hardship that they literally experienced hell on earth”, he said in front of supporters in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala, where he has lived since leaving Tibet.
The exiled Tibetan leader said he still supported his ‘Middle Way' approach of calling for greater autonomy for Tibet within China, however the strong language employed by the 73 year-old monk, who has had several health scares in recent months, suggested a growing fear he will never reach a political deal with China.