Dalai Lama: new SA visa row

August 28 2011 at 11:25am

By Peter Fabricius

Another row over a planned visit to South Africa by the Dalai Lama is brewing.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu confirmed on Saturday that he had invited the Dalai Lama to attend his 80th birthday party in Cape Town on October 7. But the South African government appears to be reluctant to give the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a visa for fear of offending its ally the Chinese government.

Tutu confirmed on Saturday “that I have invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to attend my 80th birthday celebrations in Cape Town. I am delighted that His Holiness has accepted the invitation. I am hopeful that our government will facilitate the necessary travel documentation, and look forward to welcoming my friend in October”.

Tutu would say no more. The Dalai Lama’s representative in South Africa Sonam Tenzing would only confirm Tutu had invited him.

But diplomatic sources said the Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India, had applied for a visa from the South African High Commission in New Delhi in June. His officials were told that the immigration section required political guidance from Pretoria on the application. By Saturday the Dalai Lama’s officials had received no response from the Department of Home Affairs.

The Dalai Lama’s officials were told that the High Commission in New Delhi had not received the visa application. The officials will apply again apply on Monday.

Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs, said on Saturday the Dalai Lama had not applied for a visa in New Delhi.

“As soon as he applies, New Delhi will alert Pretoria and his visa application will be considered.”

Mamoepa refused to speculate on whether his government was likely to grant a visa, in the light of Pretoria’s close ties with the Chinese government, which opposes all foreign visits by the Dalai Lama.

“The visa will be considered on its merits, according to the normal procedures,” he said.

China regards the Dalai Lama as a subversive because he has campaigned for the independence or at least political autonomy of Tibet.

Political analysts believe the Chinese pressure on Pretoria to keep the Dalai Lama out has grown even stronger since China played a pivotal role in having South Africa admitted to the Bric group of major emerging economies. – Sunday Independent                                                              (from IOL NEWS)