South Africa - His Holiness The Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhism’s Spiritual Leader exiled by the Chinese from his homeland 50 years ago) was refused a Visa to enter South Africa to attend a Peace Conference organised ahead of the 2010 World Cup Soccer. The event was to showcase South Africa’s role as a paragon of human-rights by looking at ways to tackle xenophobia and racism. Among the Nobel Peace Laureates also invited were Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the last state President of Apartheid South Africa Frederik Willem De Klerk, both of whom immediately withdrew from attending the Conference on receiving the news. The Conference Organisers have postponed the summit until further notice.

The Official reason provided by the South African Government for prohibition of the Dalai Lama’s entry is that it would draw attention away from the upcoming Soccer Event to the ongoing troubles between Tibet and China.

Internationally and Locally within South Africa there has been condemnation for the action. Barring an Icon of Human Rights and World Peace from a country that has only just seen the end of one of the greatest crimes against humanity ever committed would appear to be completely non-sensical. It is widely believed that the South African Government is bowing to pressure from China to refuse the Dalai Lama’s visit. South Africa and China are major trading partners.

Tags: cartoon, cartoons, china, dalai lama, h.h. dalai lama, kgalema motlanthe, peace conference, South Africa, tibet, visa, webcomic

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