US Air Strikes No Solution in Iraq: Dalai Lama
(by Steve Maynard | News Tribune | June 29, 2002)
The Dalai Lama said in Seattle Monday he opposes the US missile strike on Iraq. The exiled leader of Tibet, swarmed by sellout crowds at two public appearances, said there must be a more effective way than military action to put political pressure on Iraq.
"After all, Saddam Hussein is still there," the Dalai Lama said. For 34 years, the Dalai Lama has struggled nonviolently to end Chinese occupation of Tibet. But he didn't suggest Monday how President Clinton should deal with Saddam.
Violence, however, is not a long-term solution, he said. "(In the) long run, it creates side effects," the Buddhist monk said. "You may solve one problem, but it creates another problem."
His message that nonviolence and compassion form the path to peace attracted nearly 10,000 people. His two-day visit -- the first to Seattle in 14 years -- was to conclude today.
During his various appearances, the Dalai Lama received standing ovations and constant praise. One of the world's most revered religious leaders, he had a compelling presence in his red-and-mustard monk's robes and shaved head.
But he frequently disarmed crowds with humorous, self-effacing observations, most often about himself. Monday morning, the Dalai Lama proclaimed Buddhism's message of "mind over matter" to a crowd of 3,800 at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center.
After explaining complex principles of Buddhism, he quipped, "If there is no need to improve, you might as well forget it."
The 14th Dalai Lama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, is Tenzin Gyatso, the 58-year-old head of state and spiritual leader for 6 million Tibetans. In 1959, suppression of the Tibetan uprising by Communist Chinese troops forced him into exile. He then set up a government-in-exile in Dharamsala, India. He travels the globe to speak out against Chinese atrocities against Tibetans. About 1.2 million Tibetans reportedly have died from military action, torture, forced labor and imprisonment.
In Seattle, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike said they were charmed by the Dalai Lama's compassionate, peaceful beliefs.
Wayne Wergeland, a non-Buddhist, traveled from North Bend, Ore., and paid $25 to see the Dalai Lama for the first time. "I think he's wonderful," Wergeland said. "I just like the sense of compassion and kindness."
Monday night, 6,000 people packed the Seattle Center Arena to hear the Dalai Lama speak on "The Global Community and the Need for Universal Responsibility."
Before his address, the Dalai Lama gained strong support from US Rep Jolene Unsoeld (D-Olympia), who introduced him. She noted Clinton had signed an executive order threatening to remove China's most-favored-nation trade status in 1994 if it does not make progress in protecting Tibetan culture. She said Americans must also oppose plans to hold the US Olympics in Beijing -- unless China improves its human rights record in Tibet and China.
In his talk, the Dalai Lama made several key points:
- Receiving affection and having compassion are the keys to human happiness. "Without human affection, we cannot survive," he said.
-
The media need to report more about the good things that happen to
people on a daily basis. He criticized television and other media
for focusing too much on the negative, such as homicides and other
crimes. Those occurrences are overwhelmingly outnumbered by the
ways people help each other every day, the Dalai Lama said.
While the media need to hold public figures accountable for their public and private actions, constant reporting on the negative gives people a mistaken perception about the mostly positive nature of humanity, he said. - The selling and trading of weapons must be curbed to promote peace. Meanwhile, individuals can lessen anger and hatred through "inner disarmament," he said.
Earlier, the Dalai Lama said China is undertaking a "cultural genocide" in Tibet. Nevertheless, he said he gains strength from pressure countries put on China to stop persecuting Tibetans. He predicted Chinese and Tibetans would learn to live together peacefully in Tibet during his lifetime.
"Whether we like it or not, we have to live side by side — Tibetan and Chinese," he said.
During his morning teaching, he emphasized the enlightenment of the mind as the way to personal happiness. "We all possess the potential to realize the enlightening quality of Buddha," he said. "We all know . . . what we desire is happiness."
Organizers said the money raised beyond expenses during the Seattle visit — about $65,000 — will go to the Foundation for Universal Responsibility, the Dalai Lama's humanitarian organization in India.
Friends of Tibet (INDIA),
PO Box 16674, Bombay 400050
www.friendsoftibet.org