Cewang Rigzin, president of the separatist Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), has encouraged suicide attacks in the pursuit of Tibet independence.

"Maybe it is time now for the Tibetan People's Uprising Movement to use the means of suicide attacks to carry on the struggle," Cewang Rigzin said in a recent interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper.

It was time to change the "tactics of struggle" as "there are opportunities for the Chinese to take advantage of the line of non-violence," the TYC head said in an interview in Dharamsala, India.

The TYC would seek to achieve "Tibet independence" as soon as possible at any cost, and the means of suicide attacks could be used, he said.

He also clamored for a worldwide boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games.

The remarks of the TYC head have drawn strong criticism from many Italians and overseas Chinese in Italy.

The remarks of Cewang Rigzin revealed the "vicious intention" of the Dalai Lama and his followers to split China by carrying out violent attacks "under the cover of non-violence," said Liao Zonglin, chairman of the Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations in Rome.

Vittorio Mancini, chairman of the Italy-China Friendship Association described the use of violence as an "extremely horrible" act of terrorism that was bound to be condemned by peace-loving people.

It's a mistake to politicize the Olympic Games, he added.

The TYC, a hardline organization affiliated with Dalai Lama supporters, was established in 1970 in India, upon the order of the Dalai Lama.

Shortly after its establishment, some TYC members declared that they would "use violence forever" to seek "Tibet independence".

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2008)