The appeal to Tibetans was made as a mark of respect to quake victims in the ‘usurper country’

Dharamshala: The Dalai Lama’s Tibetan government in exile on Wednesday called for a temporary halt to protests against China as a mark of respect to earthquake victims.

The India based movement urged refugees to organize prayer meeting and even set up friendship group in response to the May 12 disaster, which has left at least 40000 people dead and five million homeless. “In order to express our solidaritly with the great natural disaster that befell on China, Tibetans across the world should shun staging demonstrations in front on Chinese embassies in the respective host countries they live in,” spokesman Thubten statement issued by the India based exiled government.

The statement said protests should be put off “at least until about the end of May,” and also urged Tibetans to write a letter, or send messages to the concerned, that they are doing so in solidarity with the quake victims, “Since it is very important for Tibetan exiles, of Tibetans living in the free world, also to join in this relief effort, we should initiate solidarity actions by organizing prayer meetings and raising donations,” it added
The statement also called on “Tibetans living in other parts of the world to intimate…collaborative activities, and explore possibilities of establishing Sino-Tibetan friendship associations,” Chinese-controlled Tibet was rocked by unrest in March, ant the Tibetan government in exile says 203 Tibetans were killed and 1000 injured in China’s subsequent crackdown.
China accuses the Dalai Lama of trying to sabotage the Beijing Olympics-a charge the Tibetan spiritual leader denies.