Subscribe to Common Dreams News Updates
Most Popular This Week
Popular content
Today's Top News
Dalai Lama Speaks Out on Afghanistan, Iraq, and Alberta Oil Sands
CALGARY - As the Dalai Lama expressed optimism over China's progress in recent years, a group of protesters in Calgary said a more forceful message is needed to prompt change in the Communist country.
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, greets the audience at the "Now" conference at the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, September 30, 2009. The Dalai Lama was speaking at the two-day conference which draws on compassion, connectedness and collaboration to explore the potential of campus-community partnerships. The Dalai Lama attended the event as part of his visit to Canada.
(REUTERS/Todd Korol) Speaking Thursday in Calgary, the Tibetan spiritual leader said he had "nothing much to say" about the 60th anniversary of Communist China. The Dalai Lama noted the country has left behind its socialist past in favour of capitalism. He also told reporters that meetings with influential Chinese have left him optimistic about progress in China's attitude toward him and Tibet.
"Judging from a wider perspective, things are moving," he said.
But a group of about 30 Uighur protesters outside the Chinese Consulate said the Dalai Lama's message of peace and compassion is ineffective in China.
"We are here today because China's government today is celebrating 60 years of communism," said Abduluhat Nur, of the Alberta Uighur Culture Society.
"But eastern Turkistan is crying because they are under oppression."
The Uighurs, a Muslim Turkic ethnic group in China's Xinjiang region, staged anti-Chinese riots last year that resulted in violent unrest. Similar violence erupted in Tibet in March.
At Thursday's protests, members of the local Uighur community said they aren't advocating violence, but said messages of peace and harmony do little to motivate China to change.
"We would like to see more strongly the demand against China," said Gheyret Aush.
"Compassion, it works for the democratic countries. It doesn't work for the communist countries."
The Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in 1959 after Chinese troops invaded Tibet, said he believes he will one day return to his homeland.
In the city for a University of Calgary conference, the Tibetan spiritual leader broached a wide range of topics in a question-and-answer session with reporters.
He called military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq "a failure."
Military action is sometimes necessary, he said, citing the Second World War and Korea. But current conflicts are not so clear-cut.
"It's too early to say. So far, I think a failure, using military force. Hardliners (are) becoming even more harder," he said.
Civilian casualties create sympathy for the other side, he added.
The billions of dollars spent on war, meanwhile, would be better used in health care and education, the Dalai Lama said.
Asked about the development of Alberta's oilsands, he said given a choice between "destruction of environment or losing money, then we have to choose losing money."
He said leaders must find a middle ground, "using nature's resources with maximum care of environmental protection."
Calgary Herald with files from Robert Remington
12 Comments so far
Show AllAn interesting aside -- here in NYC, the lights on the Empire State Building are currently illuminated in the colors of China -- celebrating 60 years of Communism. I guess this can be described as Capitalism and Communism united and joined at the hip.
Maybe, it's time to debunk the stigma and myths that surround the term -- socialism.
It's called Totalitarian solidarity.
And it is also "venerate your economic master"
"Compassion, it works for the democratic countries. It doesn't work for the communist countries."
Interesting comment...what does that make us? A pseudo-democracy with a few imperialistic kinks?
"Military action is sometimes necessary..."
Ha! That's what he said about the Iraq invasion to please Bush. If you haven't already, just read this-
http://www.michaelparenti.net/Tibet.html
thanks for the parenti url; it is far more interesting than the cd article...the dalai lama has a difficult political-spiritual job;.. even so, his support of pinochet is unforgivable,---although given his support by the u.s. gov,t and the c.i.a., he was probably "made an offer he couldn't refuse"...
China will take back Taiwan and the USA will just smile and wave.. trembling. China is the USA's crutch. This is the work of US elites. They sold the USA's political/economic independence for the chance to exploit cheap Chinese labor.
"They sold the USA's political/economic independence for" a lot more than only "the chance to exploit cheap Chinese labor". The 'they' have been doing this throughout ALL of U.S. history, which, as taught in schools, is full of lies, especially by omission(s), and distortions, reversals of truth, John Wayne style. Americans have nothing to preach to China. China has its guilt, but Americans have certainly no less; even having worse.
The Uighurs in Canada or the U.S., or Europe, who use these countries as a base for criticizing China reminds of the U.S. NED sort of operation. These protesters choose worse countries for base when criticizing their home target. And they evidently don't care about their chosen countries for bases being even worse, esp. re. Canadian and U.S. indigenous people.
His Holiness is correct. Love and compassion will prevail. After the Capitalist/Communist/Imperialist coalition has blown the world into near extinction. There is a war going on that has been going on for centuries. The war on the poor. Right now, the Capitalist/Communist/Imperialist coalition is winning - big time.
And what will the fruit of their final victory look like? An incinerated planet, of course. It's what they do best... Kill and destroy and deny.
The only thing that continues to amaze me is the hoardes of fruitcakes that still follow their militaristic path over the abyss.
It was recently reported in some article (at www.globalresearch.ca, I think) that Zinjiang is the area in China through which the natural gas and/or oil pipelines from the Caspian Sea region (Cental Asia anywayy) for supplying China and that the U.S. NED was operating in Zinjiang leading up to a PRC crackdown or whatever it was called a few (or so) months ago. The NED would not be there except for corporatist and imperialist, ... reasons, including to hamper oil and natural gas projects of and for China.
Keep this and what my earlier post says in mind when reading about Uighurs in the west complaining about China. They or some of them could be knowingly working with the US NED. And they really shouldn't complain much. After all, they evidently don't care about indigenous populations of the west. Instead, and like most immigrants to the west, they you never hear a word from these people about the continuing and severe human rights crimes against the indigenous here.