The Dalai Lama arrives on Saturday on a 10-day visit to tell Australians how they can find happiness. It’s a message that won’t be heard by the country’s political leaders who have shunned the visit.
The Buddhist spiritual leader begins his tour on Sunday in the southern city of Melbourne at a public talk entitled ”Happiness in the Material World.”
His visit also takes in Australia’s capital, Canberra, and its largest city, Sydney, but political leaders have turned down invitations to meet him.
On his last visit to Australia in 1996, the Tibetan leader met with Prime Minister John Howard, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and both the opposition Labor leader and his foreign affairs representative.
”The prime minister may still meet with the Dalai Lama, we have issued an invitation and he is yet to respond,” said tour organiser Alan Molloy.
Supporters of the Dalai Lama, who consider him both head of state and spiritual leader of Tibet, claim the government has bowed to the demands of Beijing, a charge Howard rejected on Friday.
Visiting Australia in March, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, warned that any meetings between Australian officials and the Dalai Lama would harm relations with Beijing.
Chinese troops invaded Tibet in 1950. After a failed uprising against the Chinese occupation in 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to northern India from where he has led a campaign for Tibetan autonomy.
The prime minister said he was leaving on Sunday to attend East Timor’s May 20 proclamation of independence, followed by a trip to China.
”I don’t precisely know what his travel schedule is but I don’t think we’ll intersect,” Howard said.
His China visit is to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Beijing and support an Australian bid for a major liquefied natural gas contract.
An Australian consortium is one of three international bidders shortlisted for a 20-year 750 million Australian dollar (US$398-million) contract to supply China with LNG.
Australia-Tibet Council campaigner Alex Butler claims that China has increased its influence over Australia and its foreign policy since 1996.
”Its about trade and economics. China has become quite blatant in using economic leverage to influence its trading partners,” she said. – Sapa-AFP