Dalai Lama denied visa for South Africa peace conference

[Savonarola]

It's good to see South Africa has their priorities straight

Dalai Lama denied visa for South Africa peace conferenceStory Highlights
Spokesman: "Not in South Africa's interest for him (Dalai Lama) to attend"

South Africa says it is worried focus will switch away from 2010 World Cup

It added South Africa has gained much from its trading relationship with China

Fellow laureate Desmond Tutu said he would boycott the conference
     
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- South Africa has refused the Dalai Lama a visa to attend an international peace conference in Johannesburg this week, a presidential spokesman said.


The Dalai Lama fled China in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Laureate did not receive a visa because it was not in South Africa's interest for him to attend, said Thabo Masebe.

South Africa thinks that, if the Dalai Lama attended the conference, the focus would shift away from the 2010 World Cup -- the global soccer championship it will host next year.

"We cannot allow focus to shift to China and Tibet," Masebe said, adding that South Africa has gained much from its trading relationship with China.

The Dalai Lama's fellow laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, said he would boycott the event.

Former president F.W. De Klerk, another laureate, backed Tutu, saying in a statement that he would also not participate in the conference if the Dalai Lama remained excluded.

De Klerk said that the decision to refuse the visa made a "mockery" of the peace conference.

"The decision to exclude the Dalai Lama is irreconcilable with key principles on which our society is based including the principles of accountability, openness and responsiveness and the rights to freedom of expression and free political activity," he said.

"South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should, and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country."

A representative of the Dalai Lama said he was not surprised by the decision. The Tibetan government in exile thinks that China has pressured many countries to refuse a visit by the Dalai Lama, according to Chhime Chhoekyapa, an aide in Dharamsala, India.

The Dalai Lama fled China in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The peace conference was billed as an opportunity to showcase South Africa's role as a human-rights champion ahead of its hosting of soccer's World Cup next year.

It was to bring together Noble Laureates and top soccer officials. In addition to Tutu and De Klerk, laureates Nelson Mandela and Martti Ahtisaar, Sepp Blatter, president of soccer's international governing body, and actress Charlize Theron were invited to attend. The event had the blessing of the Nobel Committee.

I assume that South Africa doesn't want to upset their trading partner, China; but the stated reason amuses me.

[derspiess]

Yep, funny but sad.

[DisturbedPervert]

Former president F.W. De Klerk, another laureate, backed Tutu, saying in a statement that he would also not participate in the conference if the Dalai Lama remained excluded.

De Klerk said that the decision to refuse the visa made a "mockery" of the peace conference.

"The decision to exclude the Dalai Lama is irreconcilable with key principles on which our society is based including the principles of accountability, openness and responsiveness and the rights to freedom of expression and free political activity," he said.

"South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should, and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country."

8)

If only he could be president again.  Especially considering the man next in line in the ANC is Jacob Zuma, a rapist who knowingly fucks HIV positive women without a condom.

He should make his 'last trek' to Perth along with the rest of his people.

[Savonarola]

8)

If only he could be president again.  Especially considering the man next in line in the ANC is Jacob Zuma, a rapist who knowingly fucks HIV positive women without a condom.

He should make his 'last trek' to Perth along with the rest of his people.

Zuma is quite a piece of work.  NPR once had on a recording of a press conference where he broke out into a stirring rendition of his personal anthem "My Machine Gun."  The lyrics to this anthem are something we can all identify with:

My machine my machine Gun
Please bring my machine gun
My machine gun my machine gun
Please bring my machine gun
My machine gun my machine gun
Please bring my machine gun
Please bring my machine gun
You're pulling me back
My machine gun, Please bring my machine gun

Maybe it loses something in translation.

[Valmy]

If only he could be president again.  Especially considering the man next in line in the ANC is Jacob Zuma, a rapist who knowingly fucks HIV positive women without a condom.

He should make his 'last trek' to Perth along with the rest of his people.

I can only hope that after awhile African democracies will normalize.  The struggle against colonialism and racism seems to have made heroes of some incredibly insane and dangerous characters.  Eventually a new generation will actually have to show competency and sanity at governing in order to gain support.

[jimmy olsen]

How sad and ironic. 

[fhdz]

Zuma is quite a piece of work.  NPR once had on a recording of a press conference where he broke out into a stirring rendition of his personal anthem "My Machine Gun."  The lyrics to this anthem are something we can all identify with:

My machine my machine Gun
Please bring my machine gun
My machine gun my machine gun
Please bring my machine gun
My machine gun my machine gun
Please bring my machine gun
Please bring my machine gun
You're pulling me back
My machine gun, Please bring my machine gun

Maybe it loses something in translation.

[Neil]

If only he could be president again.  Especially considering the man next in line in the ANC is Jacob Zuma, a rapist who knowingly fucks HIV positive women without a condom.

He should make his 'last trek' to Perth along with the rest of his people.

I can only hope that after awhile African democracies will normalize.  The struggle against colonialism and racism seems to have made heroes of some incredibly insane and dangerous characters.  Eventually a new generation will actually have to show competency and sanity at governing in order to gain support.

I rather doubt it.  When Europe shot itself in the head, it ended hope for Africa to ever develop to anything more than a collection of warring tribes.

[DontSayBanana]

The ironic part is that by refusing the Dalai Lama's visa, they most likely attracted more attention to Tibet.

[dps]

I assume that South Africa doesn't want to upset their trading partner, China; but the stated reason amuses me.

Yeah, I find the idea that the focus of the peace conference is going to be the World Cup rather odd.

[Sheilbh]

Especially considering the man next in line in the ANC is Jacob Zuma, a rapist who knowingly fucks HIV positive women without a condom.

Zuma's not a shoo-in yet.  There's still a lot of ANC people who dislike him and, apparently, the interim President's been very impressive.

[Norgy]

One thing's for certain; the ANC has proven beyond a doubt that absolute majorities are not a good thing for transparency and democracy.

[Martinus]

Especially considering the man next in line in the ANC is Jacob Zuma, a rapist who knowingly fucks HIV positive women without a condom.

Zuma's not a shoo-in yet.  There's still a lot of ANC people who dislike him and, apparently, the interim President's been very impressive.

I guess the only positive of his victory would be Europe getting an influx of hot South African gay men, seeing how apparently he said he will slay them.

[Sheilbh]

One thing's for certain; the ANC has proven beyond a doubt that absolute majorities are not a good thing for transparency and democracy.

Yeah.  I mean hopefully any further splits that happen (I believe there's already a split led by Mbeki-ists, so 5 people) happen around factions or around ideology rather than tribe.  One of the reasons Zuma was chosen was because he's Zulu and both Mbeki and Mandela were Xhosa. 

I guess the only positive of his victory would be Europe getting an influx of hot South African gay men, seeing how apparently he said he will slay them.

I don't think he can.  It would be unconstitutional in South Africa to only slay gays, their constitution is possibly the only and certainly the first to ban discrimination on grounds of sexuality.  They've since allowed gay marriage, lowered the age of consent (to 16) and so on.  The vidw of the ANC has always been that if they support liberal laws, which many think they should, then they will, eventually shape culture in what's still a fairly homophobic society.

Though I hear Cape Town's gay scene is terrific.

Edit: And looking it up Johannesburg pride had 35 000 attendees last year.

Do you have a source for that by the way, I've not heard it before?

[Neil]

I don't think he can.  It would be unconstitutional in South Africa to only slay gays, their constitution is possibly the only and certainly the first to ban discrimination on grounds of sexuality.

Yeah, because the rule of law is something you can count on in Africa.