Reportage – 2007

Why John Howard must meet the Dalai Lama

MELBOURNE, Australia, 5 June 2007 — The Dalai Lama is travelling to Australia for his fifth visit from 5 June for 11 days. He first visited the country in 1982.

But there is one man who is trying hard to avoid a meeting with the Dalai Lama for some peculiar reasons. He is the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr John Howard!

To understand the importance of Prime Minister John Howard meeting with the Dalai Lama, it is important to picture who the Dalai Lama is.

The Dalai Lama was born to a small peasant family in Tibet in 1935. From age six, he was brought up and trained to be the spiritual leader of his people, as well as to lead a country of six million in crisis. His education included: logic, art, Sanskrit, medicine, Buddhist philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, poetry, music and drama, and astrology.

Then later, after coming into exile in India, he rose from that simple background to becoming the leading global figure that he is today.

Although China regularly charges him as a "separatist" and accuses him of campaigning for an independent Tibet, the Dalai Lama's goals are clear and simple, and do not include either of these ideas in any way.

First, he says, "All human beings are the same," and promotes human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. Spreading these ideas is his number one mission.

His second mission is promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world's major religious traditions.

And third, he acts as a free spokesperson of the Tibetans in their struggle for justice.

At age 72, the Dalai Lama continues to travel the world promoting his missions. He has never taken on any role as a political activist, and in fact now only says, "I am semi-retired."

As regards the Tibetan situation, he has said over and over again, like a mantra, that he is not seeking an independent Tibet, but only autonomy for Tibet. This autonomy is not contrary to Chinese law, but in fact is set out in the Chinese constitution itself.

Therefore, it is obvious that it is not due to any political activities to divide China that the Chinese push him aside. Rather it seems to be for contributing to the discomfort of having China come to terms with its own pain and dilemma.

Prime Minister John Howard and his supporters, therefore, as representatives of a sovereign power have a moral responsibility to meet the Dalai Lama. By refusing to do so, they hurt the sentiments of the informed people of Australia and the Australian Buddhist community.

In addition, throughout the world, all thinking people, the Tibetans, the Buddhists, Tibet supporters, as well as many Australians — and history itself — will only say, "Shame on you Howard."

Beijing's threats regarding economic and business consequences have, sadly, worked to China's material advantage in the past.

It is shameful that a free and sovereign nation succumbs to such threats. These actions are unethical as well, if attention to human rights, with which Beijing has a very bad record not only in Tibet but also in China itself, is ignored over attention to business and economy in Howard's Australia. What does this say about the Australian government's priorities for the Australian people?

If the perception of a threat to the economy is the main reason for ignoring these issues, then what Howard is missing on this point is that both hands are required for a clap!