Thousands of exiled Tibetans gathered in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala on Wednesday for a mass prayer to mark the 51st anniversary of the failed uprising against Chinese communist rule in Tibet.

Spokesperson of the Tibetan Government-In-Exile, Thubten Samphel, says the commemoration is important for people to remember the struggles of Tibetans for freedom.

[Thubten Samphel, Spokesperson of the Tibetan Government-In-Exile]:
"This uprising was mainly to say that Chinese rule in Tibet was unjust and we wanted China to withdraw its troops from Tibet. So, since then Tibet is commemorating this important anniversary. The struggle of the people is to seek greater freedom for the people in Tibet."

Leading the prayers was Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. He stressed his goal for an autonomous Tibet, but said there is “little hope” the situation will be solved under the current Chinese regime.

The Dalai Lama also accused the Chinese regime of “deliberately annihilating Buddhism," saying monks and nuns are put in prison-like conditions under the regime’s “patriotic re-education” campaign. He says the regime’s mandatory political sessions and demands to open monasteries to visitors deprive them of time to practice Buddhism.

Located in western China, Tibet has been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party since it took control of China about 60 years ago.

For years, the Dalai Lama’s envoy has engaged in talks with Chinese authorities to win autonomy for Tibet. But the Chinese regime calls the Dalai Lama a separatist, and blames him for inciting unrests in the region. The Tibetan spiritual leader maintains he has no political aspirations and only asks for genuine autonomy for Tibet.