On Tuesday, conveners of the peace conference hastily postponed the
event indefinitely because of the controversy around the government’s
decision to bar the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.
This means South Africa’s Hollywood princess and newly appointed UN
Peace Ambassador, Charlize Theron, will not be visiting the country.
The Dalai Lama – the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate – was among the
international dignitaries billed to attend Friday’s peace conference in
Johannesburg. The conference had the backing of South African laureates
Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and F W de Klerk.
Tutu and De Klerk have said they will boycott the event if the Dalai Lama is not given a visa.
A visibly disappointed Chief Mandla Mandela, who is Mandela’s grandson,
lashed out at the government for treating the Tibetan leader as if he
were persona non grata in the country.
"To deny someone like the Dalai Lama, whom all other laureates hold in
high esteem, is sad," said the chief, who is one of the aborted
conference’s organisers, with Premier Soccer League chairperson Irvin
Khoza.
"For me and my grandfather – this rejection is really tainting our efforts at democracy," he said.
"It’s a sad day for South Africa and for Africa (because) we are nation
that is renowned for our efforts for peace in countries like Burundi
and Sudan."
Although he had not spoken to his grandfather about it, he was
convinced Mandela supported Tutu and De Klerk’s decision to boycott the
event.
Thabo Masebe, speaking for President Kgalema Motlanthe, reiterated the
government’s position that the Dalai Lama’s visit would not be in the
best interests of the country.
Asked if South Africa had consulted China before making the decision,
Masebe said: "This was a decision taken by the South African government
alone, and not any other government."
Asked whether South Africa could review its decision before 2010, he said: "No. It will distract attention from the World Cup."
Meanwhile, China’s ministerial counsellor at its embassy in Pretoria,
Dai Bing, was quoted on Tuesday as saying his government had urged
Pretoria to bar the Dalai Lama, or risk damaging relations between his
country and South Africa.
Cape Times
Post published in: News