The Chinese Ambassador to Canada accused the Dalai Lama's "clique" of being behind the recent wave of protests that have led to a crackdown by Chinese authorities in Tibet.
Lu Shumin accused followers of the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, who is living in exile in India, of orchestrating this month's demonstrations to embarrass China in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Games.
Lu told CTV's Mike Duffy Live Monday that the Dalai Lama wants an independent Tibet, despite statements he has made to the contrary.
"I think there is more and more evidence that this is pre-planned, it's pre-meditated, and organized by the separatist groups led by the Dalai clique," Lu said.
Lu's statement on Mike Duffy Live was similar to one put out by the People's Daily, the main media organ of the China's Communist Party, which said the "Dalai clique is scheming to take the Beijing Olympics hostage."
In recent days, the Chinese government has portrayed the Dalai Lama as the instigator of violent demonstrations in Tibet, which turned violent in mid-March. Lu said the Chinese people are determined to maintain the territorial integrity of China, "so the attempts of these people will never succeed." He also accused protesters of instigating violence in Tibet.
Lu's claims were vehemently challenged by Bhuchung Tsering, vice president of the International Campaign for Tibet. Tsering said that if the Chinese are really interested in determining the cause of recent violence in Tibet, they should allow international investigators into the area to make an independent assessment, something that the Dalai Lama has called for.
"Then the entire world will know what really happened, what the cause was, and who was behind it," he told Mike Duffy Live.
Tsering said that as long as the underlying causes of the Chinese misrule of Tibet are not addressed, there will be more protests. International human rights groups have accused China of repressing free speech and religious freedom in Tibet.
