By Phurbu Thinley

Dharamsala, March 11: Officials of the Chinese Communist government have reacted with anger to a speech by exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama in which he said Tibetan Buddhists were living in prison-like conditions and, expressed sympathy with the people of East Turkestan (Ch: Xinjiang) and Chinese intellectuals campaigning for greater freedom.

In an address on Wednesday marking the 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising against China's colonial rule over Tibet, the Dalai Lama referred to Xinjiang as "East Turkestan", the name used by Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking largely Muslim people of the region.

"He is just using Xinjiang and Tibet as platforms to achieve his goal to separate China," said Lhasa's Chinese-appointed mayor Doje Cezhug in remarks carried by the state-run China Daily on Thursday.

The Dalai Lama also said Beijing had put monks and nuns "in prison-like conditions", making "monasteries function more like museums ... to deliberately annihilate Buddhism". The revered and undisputed leader of Tibetan people also said the "ultra-leftist policies of the Chinese Communist authorities" were responsible for the continuing "serious problem in Tibet."

Protests led by Buddhist monks against Chinese rule in March 2008 gave way to torrid violence, with rioters torching shops in Lhasa and turning on residents, including Han Chinese and Hui Muslims.

China also undertook a swift and violent military crackdown in 2008 after unprecedented protests against China’s colonial rule broke out across Tibet that lasted for months.

China claimed only 19 people died in the unrest, which sparked waves of protest across Tibetan areas ahead of the Beijing Olympics. Pro-Tibet groups abroad say more than 200 Tibetans have died and hundreds more were injured or jailed in a subsequent crackdown across the region.

"In Tibet, people can believe whatever they want as long as it is legal. The government won't interfere. Instead it will help people solve problems along the way," the China Daily quoted Lhasa's vice mayor Jigme Namgyal as saying.

Padma Choling, China's newly appointed Tibet governor, said simply: "Let (the) Dalai Lama say whatever he wants. We will just carry on what we do".

The Dalai Lama on Wednesday applauded the positive contribution made by Tibetans working in "various responsible posts in the party, government and military" towards fellow Tibetans inside Tibet.

He, however, reminded them that it was the responsibility of "all Tibetans to maintain equality, harmony and unity among the various nationalities", while at the same time continuing to "protect" the "unique identity and culture" of Tibet.

“It is important that Tibetans maintain friendly relations not only with people of all nationalities, but also amongst themselves. Tibetans should not engage in petty disputes with each other. I earnestly appeal to them instead to resolve any differences with patience and understanding,” His Holiness said.

“Whether the Chinese government acknowledges it or not, there is a serious problem in Tibet. As the world knows, this is evidenced by the fact that there is a huge military presence and restrictions on travel in Tibet,” the Dalai Lama said.

"Let us also remember the people of East Turkestan who have experienced great difficulties and increased oppression and the Chinese intellectuals campaigning for greater freedom who have received severe sentences. I would like to express my solidarity and stand firmly with them," His Holiness said in the statement.

Anti-China unrest in Xinjiang last year left at least 200 deaths.

In his statement on Wednesday, the Prime Minister of Tibet's Government in exile, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, also raised serious concern that "no positive developments" had taken place in Tibet following the massive March 2008 unrests.

"Therefore, the Kashag would like to urge the People's Republic of China (PRC) to put an immediate halt to their inhuman and unlawful actions, including repression and violations of human rights in Tibet, as well as handing down death and long-term prison sentences to the Tibetan people without due process of law," Rinpoche said.

"The Kashag would also like to make an emphatic appeal to them to release all the innocent Tibetan prisoners, including the young Panchen Lama — Gendun Choekyi Nyima," he added.