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13 May, 2008

Dalai Lama extends deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Chinese

I am deeply saddened by the loss of many lives and many more who have been injured in the catastrophic earthquake that struck Sichuan province of China. I would like to extend my deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to those families who have been directly affected by the strong earthquake on 12 May 2008. I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and those injured in the quake.

- The Dalai Lama, 12 May 2008


DHARAMSHALA, India (AFP) — The Dalai Lama Tuesday offered his condolences to victims of China's devastating earthquake, while the Tibetan government-in-exile praised Beijing's response to the disaster.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said he was saddened by the "catastrophic" quake, which struck Monday in China's southwestern Sichuan province leaving tens of thousands dead, trapped or missing.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of many lives and many more who have been injured in the catastrophic earthquake that struck Sichuan province of China," the Dalai Lama said in Dharamshala, his home in exile in India.

"I would like to extend my deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to those families who have been directly affected by the strong earthquake and I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and those injured in the quake," he added.

An official from the Tibetan government-in-exile said separately that the Dalai Lama was also expected to send a letter of condolence to President Hu Jintao.

China has repeatedly accused the Dalai Lama of wanting independence for his homeland, west of Sichuan, and of orchestrating recent unrest in Tibet in a bid to shine a spotlight on the region ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Monday's 7.8-magnitude quake flattened houses, factories, schools and other buildings across Sichuan, killing thousands and trapping more under the rubble.

Read the entire article on the AFP site.

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