Dalai Lama expresses hope of returning to Tibet

Dharamsala, Nov 23 : Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama expressed hope of returning to homeland Tibet.

Addressing a news conference on Sunday at Dharamsala, seat of Tibetan government-in-exile, in Himachal Pradesh, Dalai Lama said, he had strong faith of returning to Tibet one day.

"I have strong faith, one day we can return to our own land," said Dalai Lama.

Dalai Lama's statement comes a day after a meeting of hundreds of Tibetans this week, to chart a course after eight rounds of official talks.

The meeting also reaffirmed the Tibetan people's faith and allegiance in the Dalai Lama.

Speculation has been growing that the 73-year-old Nobel Prize winner, who fled into exile in 1959 after an unsuccessful uprising in Tibet, will have to play a less forceful political role in future, especially if his health begins to fail.

Dalai Lama said he had been in a semi-retired position since the election of Samdong Rinpoche as the Prime Minister-in-exile by the Tibetans.

"Since then my position already become like semi-retired position, it's a fact, so all major decisions are in his hands. I'm acting like senior advisor," said Dalai Lama.

Tibetans have been crusading for the independence of their homeland from the Chinese clutches, since it occupied Tibet in 1959.

Several attempts from Tibetans under the leadership of Dalai Lama have failed to bring any results so far.

Beijing again firmly rejected that idea in talks this month with the Dalai Lama's envoys over the future of Tibet, which saw deadly riots and protests in March.

India, which is a second home to the Tibetan exiles, shares a diplomatic relationship with China and Tibetans have long been urging the Indian leadership to intervene.

Dalai Lama again urged the Indian government to tackle the Tibetan issue.

"The Chinese government compelled to station large number of soldiers that automatically will create uncomfortable (situation) here in this country.

So in order to create genuine Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai, we need to tackle Tibetan issue," Dalai Lama said.

Chinese troops occupied Tibet in 1950 and the Dalai Lama fled the mountainous region in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The exiled government consulted thousands of Tibetans inside Tibet before the meeting.

ANI