Mandela's struggle gave hope for justice: Tibetan PM

Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay Friday said anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela's struggle for justice gave all people hope that justice does prevail in the end.

"His struggle for justice gave hope to humanity in general and particularly to Tibetans that justice does prevail in the end," Sangay said in a statement.

Sangay, who has studied about Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement as a law student and an activist at one time, said: "The success of the anti-apartheid movement gave a lot of hope to everyone seeking justice in the world."

In his condolence letter to South Africa President Jacob Zuma, the democratically elected political leader of the Tibetans said: "The world has not just lost a great statesman but also a very good human being."

Sonam Tenphel, deputy speaker of Tibet's parliament-in-exile, said: "For the struggling people of Tibet, Mandela will always remain a guiding light."

Anti-apartheid icon Mandela died Thursday at the age of 95. World leaders mourned the death of South Africa's first black president who India called "a true Gandhian".