Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has called for an international investigation into the Chinese crackdown on protesters in Tibet. According to the Tibetan government in exile at least 80 people were killed in the Tibetan capital Lhasa when Chinese security forces clashed with demonstrators protesting against Chinese rule on Friday. Speaking at a press conference the Dalai Lama accused China of cultural genocide and treating Tibetans as second class citizens. China has imposed a strict curfew in Lhasa and large numbers of security forces are patrolling the streets and conducting house-to-house searches for protesters. Chinese officials have given protesters until Monday to surrender or face serious consequences. Meanwhile there are unconfirmed reports of further Tibetan independence protests with arrests and casualties in China’s southwestern Sichuan province.

Chinese police searching door to door in a section of Lhasa Sunday as part of a crackdown following violent protests in the Tibetan capital that may have left as many as 100 dead.

“We call on the Chinese government to exercise restraint in dealing with these protests, and we strongly urge all sides to refrain from violence,” she said.

“We urge China to respect the fundamental and universally recognized right of all of its citizens to peacefully express their political and religious views,” Rice said in a written statement. “And we call on China to release monks and others who have been detained solely for the peaceful expression of their views.”

In Kathmandu, Nepal, about 100 Tibetan exiles — including monks, nuns and children — began a hunger strike Saturday to protest the deaths of the demonstrators in Lhasa, a Free Tibet activist said. “Police hit those on hunger strike with batons and arrested them,” Thupten Tenzing Jamphel said. Watch CCTV’s images of the violence »

DHARAMSALA: The Dalai Lama told reporters on Sunday afternoon that despite the protests he still wanted to walk the middle ground, seeking autonomy, and not independence, for Tibet ( Watch ). He said he would continue to support the 2008 Beijing Olympics, despite the current tension and unrest in Tibet. However, he added that China needs to show “it is a good host”.

He said Tibet should lean on China for material growth. However, culturally, Tibetans should be free to follow their traditions. He said China was relying on force to bring peace, but peace can only be achieved if “it comes from the heart of people”. Currently, China had put restrictions on monasteries and imposed “political education”, choking Tibet culturally.

Olympics chief rejects boycott over Tibet The president of the International Olympic Committee rejected the idea of boycotting the Summer Games in Beijing over China’s crackdown in Tibet, saying it would only hurt athletes. He declined to say whether the committee would change its stance if violence continues or more people are killed.

“The International Olympic Committee has consistently resisted calls for a boycott of the Olympic games,” Rogge said. He declined to comment further on Tibet during a brief news conference.

The head of the Swiss Olympic Committee told state-owned DRS radio that he is against a boycott but wants the IOC to intervene with China over the troubles in Tibet.

“The Rubicon has been crossed,” Joerg Schild said. “I can’t bring myself to say that we’re going to go there.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president Thomas Bach says a number of top athletes are considering boycotting the games in China over the bloody crackdown on protesters in Tibet

China declares ‘People’s War’ as Tibet simmers

NEW DELHI: From Athens to the Everest, China is feeling the heat of the “Free Tibet” campaign just five months before the biggest show on earth- the 2008 Olympics - opens in Beijing in August. Tibetan activists are working overtime to make sure that they use China’s Olympic hype to get maximum mileage for their cause. “We have planned marches, rallies, speeches around the world. We are even organizing Tibetan version of the Olympics in Dharamsala. We will chase the Olympics torch and protest wherever it goes. As China plans to use the games to showcase itself as the world’s new superpower, we will expose its ugly record in Tibet,” says a Tibetan activist.

With its reputation at stake, the Chinese are not taking the threat lightly. On Saturday, agreeing to China’s request, Nepal blocked access to Mt Everest to prevent Tibetans from staging a protest at the peak.