HRW: Dalai Lama ban about pleasing China
2011-09-30 10:31
Cape Town - A refusal by South Africa to allow the Dalai Lama to enter the country is about pleasing China and is a denial of its struggle for democracy, said Human Rights Watch.
"The South African government's reluctance to issue a visa to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetans' spiritual leader, has no objective basis and appears to be based on no more than fear of Chinese government displeasure," the group said in a statement.
South Africa has refused to announce its decision on the Dalai Lama's visa. He was invited by Tutu to give a peace lecture on Saturday as part of events to celebrate his October 7 birthday.
Pretoria barred the Dalai Lama in 2009 over fears of jeopardising ties with China which is the country's main national trade partner.
"If South Africa refuses a visa to a Nobel Prize recipient and human rights campaigner, with no objective grounds for refusal, then there can only be less-than-noble motivations for its action," said HRW Africa director Daniel Bekele.
China warns of retribution
"For the government to block a leader who supported South Africa's struggles is not only to deny its own history, but it raises questions about whether the government looks to Pretoria, or to Beijing, for some of its domestic policy decisions."
China has warned countries that they risk retribution if they allow the Dalai Lama entry.
"There are few better ways to honor Archbishop Tutu, and that for which he and South Africa stand, than by acting on principle rather than perceived political expediency," said Bekele.
The government has said that visa procedure has not been followed which the offices of Tutu and the Dalai Lama have denied and slammed the government's response as "profoundly disrespectful".
China refused to recognise criticism of its policies in Tibet, said HRW.
"There is a long and documented history of alleged human rights abuses suffered by Tibetans living under Chinese rule, which remain unaddressed," it said.
An online petition has been started urging the government to grant the Dalai Lama entry. The petition can be found here.
- SAPA