Dalai Lama calls for probe into "cultural genocide"

By Jonathan Allen

DHARAMSALA, India (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama called on Sunday for an investigation into China's tough response to protests in Tibet, and whether it was deliberate "cultural genocide".

The comments from Tibet's spiritual leader came as police and troops locked down Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, two days after street protests against Chinese rule that the region's government-in-exile said had killed 80 people.

"Whether the Chinese government admits or not, there is a problem. The problem is the nation with ancient cultural heritage is actually facing serious dangers," he told a news conference at his base of Dharamsala in northern India.

"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, somewhere cultural genocide is taking place", he said, adding that he wanted an investigation into the clashes.

The Dalai Lama, saying he felt "helpless", added that the international community had the "moral responsibility" to remind China to be a good host for the Olympic Games. He added that China should host the Games.

"So now we really need miracle power," he told a conference often interspersed with laughter from the exiled Tibetan leader.

There was no immediate comment from China's foreign ministry to his statements.

Monks first took to the streets of Tibet last Monday to mark the 49th anniversary of an earlier uprising, and protests soon spread to adjoining regions inhabited by pockets of Tibetans.