(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-02 22:25

BEIJING - A senior Tibet expert claimed the Dalai Lama and his supporters want a high level of autonomy in and around Tibet, in order to undermine the current Chinese system of ethnic regional autonomy.

Instigating ethnic hatred between Tibetans and others, is the reason behind the call by the Dalai Lama's supporters for an autonomous Greater Tibet, said Xerab Nyi'ma, the Central University for Nationalities vice president and himself a Tibetan.

The Dalai group has included in its Greater Tibet parts of four other provinces with Tibetan minorities (Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai). It is to "undermine the political system that promotes ethnic regional autonomy," the Tibetan scholar said. He added that the term Greater Tibet does not exist in Chinese history.

"The Dalai group is very likely to instigate ethnic hatred in the region as many other ethnic groups, all considered as migrants by the Dalai group, also live in these provinces," he said.

This high level of autonomy in Greater Tibet is likely to threaten peace in both China and the world",according to Xerab Nyi'ma.

"They resorted to bloodshed to seek Tibet independence in 2008 because this year is critical for China to host the Olympics.

"We should think deeply about the cause of the March 14 Lhasa riot. The government should be ready to fight an enduring and complicated battle with the Dalai group," he said.

"There's ample evidence to prove that the Dalai Lama has always been preaching Tibet's secession from China," says Professor Hu Yan from the Party School of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC).

"In some books published in the West, the Dalai Lama has repeated more than once such provocative remarks as six million Tibetans dislike the Chinese," Hu said.

"The Chinese government has long been promoting unity, equality, mutual help and harmony among different nationalities, while the Dalai Lama strives to separate those who eat Zanba (Tibetan's staple food, roasted qingke barley flour) and those who eat rice," he said.

"The Dalai Lama's attempt only ended up in vain as only a few Tibetans participated in the March 14 Lhasa riot", he added.