Dalai Lama

13 April 2008 -- The Dalai Lama has threatened to resign as leader of Tibet's exiled government if violence in his homeland spirals out of control.

The Nobel Peace laureate made the comment Sunday at a news conference in Seattle, Washington, where he has been attending a five-day "Seeds of Compassion" conference.

Dalai Lama: Photo by kermitlab (CC)

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader denied Chinese claims that he has called for Tibet to split from China and that he is behind the recent turmoil. The Dalai Lama said the whole world knows that he is seeking autonomy for the region.    » read more »

11 April 2008 -- The Olympic torch has arrived in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, after a flight from San Francisco.

Argentine police whisked the flame away to a secret location on Thursday. The torch will reappear on Friday morning, when football legend Diego Maradona carries it at the opening of the relay through Buenos Aires.

Protesters during the Olympic torch relay in Paris: Photo by Greg Daly (CC)    » read more »

April 8, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor tonight to urge the passage of her resolution in support of Tibet, H.R. 1077. Below are the Speaker’s remarks, as prepared:

“Thank you Chairman Howard Berman and Ranking Member Ileana Ros Lehtinen for your bipartisan support in bringing this resolution to the floor this evening.

Mountains in Tibet: Photo by all-i-oli (CC)    » read more »

April 8, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today regarding the Olympic torch relay’s planned route tomorrow through the City of San Francisco, the only city in North America to host the torch:

“The Olympic Charter states that the goal of the Olympic games should be to promote ‘a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.’

Tibet protesters during Olympic torch relay, Paris: Photo by Siobhán Silke (CC)    » read more »

Call for Talks between China and His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

April 7, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today led a bipartisan group of Senators that introduced a resolution condemning the violence in Tibet. The resolution also calls on China to open substantive dialogue with His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama: Photo by Ferne Millen (CC)    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- Washington, DC – In a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), His Holiness the Dalai Lama today commented on the current crisis in Tibet and indicated that he believes the best way forward to resolve the issue is through dialogue.

This letter comes in response to a statement by Senator Feinstein which called for an end to the Chinese crackdown and for personal talks between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Leadership.

Dalai Lama Receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, October 2007

Feinstein’s statement follows:

“A wave of protests has swept across Tibet, and these protests have been met with violence and a crackdown by the Chinese.    » read more »

20 November 2007 -- Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, says he may name his successor before he dies, rather than rely on the centuries-old selection process involving reincarnation, to avoid interference from China.

In an interview with a Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun published Tuesday, the Dalai Lama said the Tibetan people would not support a Chinese-appointed successor.

The 72-year-old Nobel prize laureate says he may have a group of high ranking Buddhist monks democratically select his replacement.    » read more »