Speaking to about 2,000 supporters March 10 in a speech to mark the 50th anniversary of the failed uprising that sent him into exile, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, said Chinese martial law and hard-line policies such as the Cultural Revolution, had devastated the Himalayan region.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrives for a ceremony March 10 in Dharmsala, India, marking the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that sent him into exile. AP PHOTO

"These thrust Tibetans into such depths of suffering and hardship that they literally experienced hell on Earth," he said in the Indian hill town of Dharmsala, where he and the self-proclaimed government-in-exile have been based since shortly after fleeing their homeland. "The immediate result of these campaigns was the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Tibetans."

Tibetan culture and identity are "nearing extinction," he said. "Even today, Tibetans in Tibet live in constant fear and the Chinese authorities remain constantly suspicious of them."

While his comments were unusually strong for a man known for his deeply pacifist beliefs, he also urged that any change come peacefully and reiterated his support for the "Middle Way," which calls for significant Tibetan autonomy under Chinese rule.

While China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, Tibet was a deeply isolated theocracy until 1951, when Chinese troops invaded Lhasa, the regional capital.

Last year, a peaceful commemoration of the uprising by monks in Lhasa erupted into anti-Chinese rioting four days later and spread to surrounding provinces — the most sustained and violent demonstrations by Tibetans in decades.

This year, China has largely sealed off Tibet from the outside world.