Published by: World Tibet Network News Thursday, December 11, 1997

BRASILIA, 97/12/10 (Reuters) - The head of Tibet's parliament in exile said Wednesday he planned to return to his Himalayan homeland soon to lead a campaign of civil disobedience against Chinese rule.

``Time is running out for us. So I want to take up peaceful resistance as early as possible,'' said Samdhong Rinpoche, president of the exiled government's Chamber of Deputies during a one-day visit to the Brazilian capital.

A Buddhist monk and a close aide to Tibet's spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama, Samdhong is also due to visit Argentina and Chile during a three-nation tour of South America to draw attention to his country's plight under the Chinese.

The Dalai Lama fled into exile in India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Beijing's rule. He won the Nobel Peace Prize 30 years later for his non-violent campaign for autonomy for his homeland.

Tibetan exile leaders say local culture is being systematically wiped out in a bid to lessen resistance to rule from Beijing.

During a brief interview between meetings with Brazilian officials, the 59-year-old Buddhist monk told Reuters he and other members of the exiled government were training volunteers for the disobedience campaign.

``For the time being we have to prepare people for the movement,'' he said. ``We must educate Tibetans not to cooperate with the Chinese, not to work in their offices and factories, not to learn their language and customs.''

While the proposed campaign would be peaceful, Samdhong said he was aware that his own safety would be at risk once he gave up living in exile in India and returned home.

``Of course it will be dangerous but the entire Tibetan people is living in danger so we have no choice,'' he said, declining to say when he might begin the campaign.

Samdhong paid courtesy visits to the heads of Brazil's Senate and Chamber of Deputies before a scheduled meeting with officials from the Foreign Ministry later in the day. The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959.