Suu Kyi, Dalai Lama have struggled hard for democracy: Tibetan PM

Drawing a parallel between Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the Dalai Lama, Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay on Saturday said both the Nobel laureates have struggled hard for the cause of democracy.

"Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala considered that Suu Kyi's struggle has many similarities and parallels with the Dalai Lama," Sangay said.

"The US president Barack Obama's proposed visit to Burma after re-election is meaningful to Tibetans as that country's struggle for freedom is similar to Tibet's efforts to secure greater autonomy from Beijing," Sangay said here.

Obama's presence will offer a firm gesture of support to the forces of democracy and freedom as symbolised by Suu Kyi, he said. "In spite of being forcibly separated from his people in Tibet, the Dalai Lama established a democratic system within the Tibetan refugee community and transferred his political power to a democratically elected leader(the Sikyong)," he said.

The Obama administration should take up the issue of Tibet more seriously with the new Chinese leadership, he said. "Solving Tibet problem will help improve relations between China and India," he added.