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| India-Pakistan |
| Defying China, Dalai Lama visits Indian town near border |
| 2009-11-09 |
| Ignoring Chinese protests, the Dalai Lama traveled Sunday to a remote town in northeastern India near China's Tibetan border where thousands of pilgrims had braved cold weather to catch a glimpse of their spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama, who was sharply criticized by Beijing before the visit, expects to spend five days praying and instructing Buddhist worshipers in the monastery town of Tawang in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, an area claimed by China. His last visit was in 2003. China has accused the spiritual leader of making the trip to further the movement for an independent Tibet, a region that accounts for about one-sixth of Chinese territory. "He is always involved in activities that undermine the relations between China and other countries as well as ethnic separatist activities," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a regular news briefing last week in Beijing. "The Dalai Lama is a liar." Although Beijing has leveled similar accusations for decades, its charges have become more pointed since deadly anti-government riots broke out in March 2008 across the Tibetan plateau. The Dalai Lama's previous visits to Tawang merited little response from China, said Vijay Kranti, editor of Tibbat Desh, a newspaper for the Tibetan exile community in India. China's reaction this time has turned the visit into a bigger deal than it otherwise would be, he said. "The Dalai Lama's best advertising agency is Beijing," Kranti said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 Han chinese in Tibet is kind of like hairless cats in the artic |
| Posted by: 746 2009-11-09 16:00 |
| #2 The Dalai Lama spoke recently at UC Santa Barbara for almost an hour and there was some cable channel that aired it. Dunno much about Buddhism but I was curious so I watched. He seems like a kindly old man with a fair amount of wisdom. Wouldn't want to judge whether or not he is equal to or greater than the Pope in stature. But he speaks pretty good English, has a good sense of humor and it was very interesting to listen to him. He did not appear to hold any bitterness toward the Chinese or anybody else for that matter. He actually, wryly, thanked the Chinese for giving him more publicity than he could have ever expected had they not invaded his country. For their part, the Chinese seem to be up against something they don't understand and maybe that's why they fear him so much. I think it'd be funny if some of those Chinese who've moved into Tibet get some of that Buddhist stuff on them. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-11-09 12:15 |
| #1 As far as I'm concerned he should piss on the Chinese border. I am old enough to remember the events of 1959... |
| Posted by: borgboy 2009-11-09 00:34 |