DHARAMSHALA, March 7: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered prayers for the victims of the ongoing violence in Tibet and Syria during a prayer gathering in his exile home of Dharamshala.

Presiding over the annual Monlam Chenmo (the Great Prayer Festival) at Tsug-la Khang, the main temple, the Dalai Lama entreated everyone to pray for all those suffering in the violence being perpetrated around the world.

“People all over the world, especially of late in Syria and in Tibet, are undergoing immense suffering,” the Dalai Lama said. “We should offer our deepest prayers for all those, living and dead, in these places of violence.”

Over the weekend, three Tibetans died after setting themselves on fire demanding the return of the Dalai Lama from exile and freedom in Tibet. The self-immolation toll in Tibet has now risen to an alarming 26.

The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration in a press release yesterday said it was “deeply saddened” by the death of Dorjee, 18, the latest Tibetan to self-immolate in the ongoing wave of fiery protests.

Dorjee set himself on fire while marching on a bridge towards the local government office in Cha town, Ngaba, eastern Tibet on March 5.

Dorjee reportedly died on the spot and his body was bundled away by the police to Ngaba town, some 70 kms east.

The CTA reiterated its appeal to the Chinese government to address the genuine grievances of the Tibetans inside Tibet and resolve the Tibet issue peacefully.

“We also appeal to the governments and the international community to make urgent representations to the Chinese government to end the tragic cycle of self-immolation in Tibet by adopting liberal polices in Tibet,” said Dicki Chhoyang, minister for the Department of Information & International Relations, CTA.

In recent weeks, senior Chinese leader have upped their vitriolic against the growing instances of self-immolation and mass protests in Tibet. While some have called for a "war against secessionist sabotage," others have vowed to "crush" all expressions of protest.