Archbishop Tutu tells China to listen to His Holiness's appeal

Friday, 28 March 2008, 12:55 p.m.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu/File Photo

Dharamshala: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa has called on Chinese government to listen to His Holiness' s appeal for restraint and stop using force against peaceful Tibetan demonstrators across Tibet.

In his statement on 25 March, while expressing support for Tibetan people, he said that he stand by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is the embodiment of non violence and compassion and goodness. He urged China to enter into a substantive and meaningful dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama - the man of peace.

He said, China, by hosting the 2008 Olympic Games must ensure the bringing in of positive changes and become more responsible partner in international affairs. "Killing, imprisonment and torture are not a spirit of sports and the innocents must be released and given free and fair trials," he added.

He urged Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Tibet to investigate the recent events and report the findings to the international community. The High Commissioner should be allowed to travel with journalists, and other observers, to bring the truth, he added.

He firmly urged China to stop making false accusations and discredit His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is devoted to the principle of non-violence.

  (www.tibet.net is the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.)