(22 Mar 2008) HEADLINE: Dalai Lama arrives in Delhi to meet supporters
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CAPTION: Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama arrived in the Indian capital of New Delhi on Saturday to lead a prayer session for his followers, amid more protests over Chinese rule in Tibet. (March 22)
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[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]
[Notes:Dateline: New Delhi]
[Notes:Vid Dalai Lama arriving]
The Dalai Lama has arrived in New Delhi.
He's here to lead a prayer session for his followers.
[Notes:NATS protests]
India has been the focus of several protests over Chinese rule in Tibet..
That's because it's home to the headquarters of Tibet's exiled government ... and the Dalai Lama.
Both are demanding freedom for their people and an end to the violent protests in Lhasa.
[Notes:Various vid Dalai Lama in New Delhi]
Meanwhile Beijing says it's Tibet's spiritual leader who's orchestrating the violence.
But he and other Tibetan groups say the protests were the spontaneous result of growing resentment against Chinese rule ... and **not** planned by exiles.
[Notes:UPSOUND (English) Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual leader: "No. Nothing, nothing to say."]
The Dalai Lama refused comment.
But in the past ... He's said he's **not** looking for independence for Tibet.
Instead ... he wants genuine autonomy to protect the area's unique Buddhist culture.
[Notes:File vid Pelosi meeting with Dalai Lama]
On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with the spiritual leader and called for an international investigation.
She dismissed Beijing's claim that the Dalai Lama was behind the fighting ... Saying it made "no sense."
[Notes:SOT: Pelosi TRT: 16: "but speaking for myself ... Anywhere in the world."]
[Notes:Various vid protests]
Meanwhile, Tibetan activist groups in New Delhi continued their protests.
They started in Lhasa on the March 10 anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
Demonstrations turned violent four days later ... Sparking protest among Tibetans in three other provinces.
The exiled Tibetan government has said .. So far .. 99 Tibetans have been killed.
But Beijing's official death toll stands at 22.
The movement has become the largest challenge to China's control of Tibet since the 1959 uprising.
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