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The Dalai Lama Sends Words of Comfort to Earthquake Victims

by Barbara McPherson | April 17, 2010 at 10:21 am

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The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader in exile, has sent words of comfort to the earthquake victims in Qinghai Province(Tibetan:Kyigudo) and added his wish to be allowed to visit the people there to directly comfort the survivors.

This time the location of the earthquake, Kyigudo (Chinese: Yushu), lies in Qinghai Province,which happens to be where both the late Panchen Lama and I were born. To fulfill the wishes of many of the people there, I am eager to go there myself to offer them comfort.

Dalai Lama has words of praise for rescue workers
In his news release he had words of praise for the Chinese authorities who have been overseeing the rescue work and for the political decisions that allow the media to report on the progress of the recovery work. He singled out Prime Minister Wen Jiabao for personally visiting the site of the earthquake.

Dalai Lama has been blocked in past from visiting China
The Dalai Lama has been blocked from visiting the PR China in the past. When the Sichuan earthquake devastated much of that western province two years ago, his request to visit was denied. The government of PRC was annoyed when the Dalai Lama visited Taiwan in the aftermath of its more recent typhoon.

Dalai Lama was once the ruler of Tibet
Until 1959 the present Dalai Lama was the ruler of Tibet. At that time, the Tibetans undertook an unsuccessful revolt against Chinese occupying forces. He fled to India where he set up a government in exile. He has continued his message of peaceful reconciliation from Dharmsala since then.

China blames Dalai Lama for continued unrest in Tibet
Chinese authorites blame the Buddhist leader for continued unrest in Tibet, saying that he is trying to achieve an independent country for the Tibetans. They have marked the day that the Dalai Lama left for exile as "Serfs Emancipation Day".

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending troops to "liberate" the region from what it said was serfdom under the Dalai Lama. China has decreed that March 28 -- the day the Dalai Lama fled into exile in India -- is to be celebrated as "Serfs Emancipation Day."