Dalai Lama warns of 'cultural genocide' in Tibet

PARIS - The Dalai Lama warned on Tuesday that a ''cultural genocide'' was under way in Tibet under the guise of Chinese-led development programs that were also destroying the environment in his Himalayan homeland.

Still, the exiled Buddhist spiritual leader said he favored the U.S. decision on Sept. 19 to grant China permanent normalized trade status - a move some in the United States opposed saying it would take away one way to influence Beijing on human rights.

''It is essential that China becomes part of the global community,'' the Dalai Lama said, speaking to lawmakers at the French Senate. But he added that foreign governments should step up pressure on China to improve its human rights record. ''Governments have to be firm on that,'' he said.

The Dalai Lama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, fled Tibet in 1959 with thousands of supporters after a failed revolt against Chinese military rule. Since then, he has headed a government in exile in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala, fighting for Tibetan autonomy.

A Tibetan human rights group recently reported that China had stepped up its campaign against Buddhism in Tibet and the Dalai Lama, with police raiding homes to seize religious objects and schoolchildren warned not to attend temples.

The Dalai Lama said Tuesday that China's drive to develop Tibetan cities was aimed at destroying its ancient culture and pushing Tibetans out. The number of Chinese living in Tibet's largest cities now outnumber the Tibetans, he said.

''In the west of Tibet, they speak of development but they want to make a completely new city - with very few Tibetans. There is a form of cultural genocide taking place in Tibet,'' he said.

He also said the construction and development programs in the region western China caused ''serious environmental problems'' in Tibet, located on a high-altitude plateau in the Himalayas between India and China.

''We risk environmental catastrophes,'' he said, asking that environmental experts be sent to Tibet. He did not elaborate on the problems.

Other factors, have ''considerably aggravated ... repression and control of monks in Tibet,'' the Dalai Lama said. He cited the January escape of the Karmapa, the third-highest Tibetan Buddhist leader, who fled to India in a grueling trek through the Himalayas.