During the height of the Tibet protests I predicted that it would
disappear from the headlines within a few weeks. It did. I didn't
anticipate the DL would have a follow up campaign. Now that I think
of it he did follow up immeidately with a visit to the US. I can't
recall that impact except the China sup****ters group out numbered the
pro Tibet group.
The DL then went on to Germany where every im****tant politician except
one were conveniently somewhere else. This included Merkel who had a
scheduling problem by being in South America. Now the UK has seen its
mistake in sup****ting the Tibet protests. Since avoiding the DL would
be too radical a change of position PM Brown chose a weasel out venue.
Brown denies Dalai Lama Downing Street audience
Matthew Weaver and agencies guardian.co.uk,
Tuesday May 20 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/20/tibet.gordonbrown
The Dalai Lama arrives outside his hotel in central London, at the
start of an 11-day visit to Britain. Photograph: Carl de
Souza/AFP/Getty Images
The Dalai Lama arrived in Britain this morning for an 11-day visit,
amid controversy over Gordon Brown's decision not to meet him at
Downing Street.
Campaigners have accused the prime minister of bowing to pressure from
China, by opting to hold talks with the Tibetan spiritual leader at
Lambeth Palace, home of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Brown agreed to meet the Dalai Lama on this visit at the height of
pro-independence protests in Tibet two months ago.
At the time, such a meeting was regarded as a snub to China, which
accuses the Dalai Lama of orchestrating the Tibetan unrest. He denies
the charge.
Campaigners claim the location for the talks is a compromise to
distance the prime minister from the independence movement, and allow
him to ****tray the visit as a religious rather than political visit.
Anne Holmes, the acting director of the Free Tibet Campaign, called on
Brown to switch venues for the talks.
She said: "By meeting the Dalai Lama at Lambeth Palace Brown has
signalled his determination to appease the Chinese government. The
prime minister must immediately reconsider his position and agree to
meet the Dalai Lama at Downing Street which is where he would meet any
other world leader."
The former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major each received the
Dalai Lama at No 10 while they were in office.
Holmes added: "The overwhelming message from Tibetans during recent
protests inside Tibet was for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet,
showing that he is still considered the legitimate voice of the
Tibetan people and that he holds the key to a lasting negotiated
settlement."
She contrasted Brown's attitude with that of the German chancellor,
Angela Merkel, who met the Dalai Lama in her offices last September.
Merkel said at the time: "I cannot sacrifice my principles for the
sake of a trade relation****p with China."
But the Dalai Lama ended a five-day visit to Germany on Monday, in
which only one government minister agreed to meet him.
Later today, his holiness Tenzin Gyatso will receive an honorary
degree from London Metropolitan University this afternoon. He will
give a speech at the event in central London and will meet Tibetan
students.
The Dalai Lama will take part in a hearing of the Commons foreign
affairs committee, later this week. He is also scheduled to give five
days of teachings at Nottingham Arena, from Saturday.
The Dalai Lama has been travelling the world to publicise the plight
of Tibetans for nearly 50 years. He became head of state at the age of
just 15, when China invaded Tibet in 1950.
When Tibetans took to the streets in a failed uprising against Chinese
rule in March 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to India.
He was followed into exile by around 80,000 Tibetans and began to
raise their issues internationally with religious and political
leaders.
The Dalai Lama has repeatedly called for peaceful resistance to
Chinese occupation and was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1989.
Tensions flared in March this year, when Buddhist monks marched to
mark the 49th anniversary of the uprising.
Violence escalated as protesters took to the streets of Lhasa and were
confronted with a strong Chinese military clampdown.
|
