Dalai Lama urged to keep politics out during his Taiwan visit
August 31st, 2009 - 11:56 am ICT by ANINew Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): Taiwan officials hope that Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama stays clear of politics during his visit to comfort victims of Typhoon Morakot.
The Dalai Lama arrived in the island on late Sunday. More than 10 Taiwan political organizations denounced the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for inviting him, calling the move unethical and politically motivated.
Seven Taiwan mayors and county chiefs from the DPP last Wednesday invited the Dalai Lama to join religious activities for victims of the typhoon.
Taiwan allowed the Dalai Lama to visit in 1997 and 2001, the China Daily reports.
Morakot, the worst typhoon to hit Taiwan in 50 years, has claimed at least 461 lives and left 192 missing and 46 injured, Taiwan’s disaster response authorities said.
“We believe the Dalai Lama will have the wisdom to distinguish between religious empathy and political maneuvering,” said Wu Poh-hsiung, chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT).
“Because Taiwan has been badly hit by the typhoon, his visit should help the island instead of adding difficulty to it.”
Wu said he sought input from Beijing about the visit, but he did not give details or say whether Beijing responded.
Taiwan authorities, including Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, have said that they will not meet the Dalai Lama publicly or privately.
A spokesman for the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Taklha, has denied the visit has any political subtext. “It is a spiritual visit. The purpose is to offer prayers for the victims and to offer comfort and succor to those who have survived,” Takhla said. (ANI)
- Taiwan asks Dalai Lama to keep politics out of his visit - Sep 02, 2009
- Taiwan leader seeks closer ties with mainland China - Jul 12, 2010
- Dalai Lama wraps up Taiwan visit (Lead) - Sep 04, 2009
- Taiwan taking pains to make Dalai Lama's visit non-political - Aug 28, 2009
- Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan to meet typhoon survivors (Lead, Changing dateline) - Aug 27, 2009
- Dalai Lama holds prayers in Taiwan despite China protest - Sep 01, 2009
- Taiwan, China launch regular cross-strait flights - Sep 01, 2009
- Taiwan approves Dalai Lama visit - Aug 27, 2009
- Dalai Lama wraps up sensitive Taiwan visit - Sep 04, 2009
- Dalai Lama may visit Taiwan: Prez - Aug 27, 2009
- Dalai Lama arrives in Taiwan on controversial visit - Aug 30, 2009
- Behind the scene: Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit - Aug 28, 2009
- China expresses anger over Dalai Lama's trip to Taiwan - Aug 28, 2009
- China against Dalai Lama's global activities - Jan 18, 2012
- Dalai Lama urges China to adopt democracy - Sep 03, 2009
Tags: county chiefs, dalai lama, democratic progressive party, disaster response, dpp, kmt, lama tenzin, mayors, poh, political maneuvering, political organizations, religious activities, subtext, succor, taiwan authorities, taiwan leader, taiwan officials, taiwan visit, tibetan spiritual leader, typhoon morakot
