By Tendar Tsering
DHARAMSHALA, September 7: The private office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is yet to receive any information from the South African government regarding the Tibetan spiritual leader’s scheduled visit to the Proteas nation, Phayul has learned.
Tenzin Taklha, secretary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama told Phayul that the Dalai Lama is still waiting for a visa from the South African government.
The Dalai Lama was invited by his fellow noble peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu to join his 80th birthday celebrations in Cape Town on October 7.
“I am delighted that His Holiness has accepted the invitation. I am hopeful that our government will facilitate the necessary travel documentation,” Tutu was earlier quoted by reporters as saying.
However, on August 22, South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs told AFP that “the Dalai Lama’s visa issue is not only administrative but political and diplomatic in nature”.
Ronnie Manoepa, spokesman of the Ministry confirmed receiving the Dalai Lama’s visa application on August 2, but said that his office needed to “take advice from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation”, signalling outside pressure on the visa issue.
If granted visa, the 76-year old Tibetan leader is scheduled to give talks in Cape Town and Durban and also receive an international honour.
Mpho Tutu, the youngest daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu had earlier told reporters that “His Holiness the Dalai Lama will deliver the inaugural Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture in Cape Town”.
In a press release issued September 1, the Durban based Gandhi Development Trust announced its decision to honour His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the 9th Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace.
The Trust said that the Dalai Lama was being recognised for inspiring people all over the world with his “outstanding ability to forgive in the face of adversity and his unflinching stand for human rights for all”.
In 2009, the Tibetan spiritual leader was invited to attend a peace conference in Johannesburg but the South African government had turned down the visa application citing that they did not want to jeopardise relations with China.
