Snub sends 'chilling signal': Dalai Lama rep
The Local Norway - [email protected]
Published: 2 May, 2014 CET.
Updated: Fri 2 May 2014 11:13 CET
The Dalai Lama's chief representative in Europe has attacked Norway's government for "sending a chilling signal to Tibetans in Tibet" by refusing to meet the country's spiritual leader during his visit to Norway this week.
"What I think the Norwegian government should consider is that by not meeting the Dalai Lama, they are sending a chilling signal to Tibetans in Tibet, and that is exactly what the Chinese want," Thubten Samdup told Norway's NRK network. He warned that for the counts which hosts and awards the Nobel Peace Prize to refuse to meet his leader would give "the wrong precedent" to other countries. "They may follow suit. They will think that if Norwegian leaders failed to meet the Dalai Lama, we can get away with it too." Samdup, who was with the Dalai Lama in India last week, said that his leader was "not surprised" by the heavy pressure China's government has exerted on Norway, and stressed that the Dalai Lama was not considering cancelling his visit. "I do not think that will happen, although I'm sure the Chinese government would love something like that," he said. The current Dalai Lama has been invited to Norway for the 25th anniversary of his Nobeal Peace Prize in 1989. On the morning of May 9, he has been invited to parliament by Ketil Kjenseth, from Norway's Liberal Democrat party, but will not meet any representative from the government, leading to a protest outside parliament on Wednesday.
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"What I think the Norwegian government should consider is that by not meeting the Dalai Lama, they are sending a chilling signal to Tibetans in Tibet, and that is exactly what the Chinese want," Thubten Samdup told Norway's NRK network.
He warned that for the counts which hosts and awards the Nobel Peace Prize to refuse to meet his leader would give "the wrong precedent" to other countries.
"They may follow suit. They will think that if Norwegian leaders failed to meet the Dalai Lama, we can get away with it too."
Samdup, who was with the Dalai Lama in India last week, said that his leader was "not surprised" by the heavy pressure China's government has exerted on Norway, and stressed that the Dalai Lama was not considering cancelling his visit.
"I do not think that will happen, although I'm sure the Chinese government would love something like that," he said.
The current Dalai Lama has been invited to Norway for the 25th anniversary of his Nobeal Peace Prize in 1989.
On the morning of May 9, he has been invited to parliament by Ketil Kjenseth, from Norway's Liberal Democrat party, but will not meet any representative from the government, leading to a protest outside parliament on Wednesday.
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