OGNA and SFT embarrassed by Dunedin Mayor's anti-Dalai Lama comments.

Joint Press Release by the Organisation for Global Nonviolent Action (OGNA) and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT)
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The Mayor’s decision to cancel an official reception with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in June is embarrassing, according to the campus group Students for a Free Tibet (SFT).

The Dalai Lama is one of the worlds most well known proponents of human rights. He is the recipient of over 80 international awards and honours acknowledging this within the last 10 years alone, not to mention that he is Nobel Peace Laureate. He will be speaking in Dunedin on the topic ‘Beyond religion: ethics for a whole world’.

SFT spokesperson Daniel Benson-Guiu said the Mayor’s comments “threaten the reputation of Dunedin as an international tourist hub and create bad relations for ethnic and cultural minorities in the city”.

Mr Benson-Guiu said “The City Council has happily given receptions to the Dalai Lama in the past- as His Holiness has been connected to the city for more than 20 years”.

The comments of the Mayor come after a recent trip to China. “As a city we should not be scared to say what is wrong and what is right”. Joe Llewellyn from the Organisation for Global Nonviolent Action said. “The situation in Tibet is the worst it has ever been- since 2011 more than 100 people have self-immolated in protest to Chinese occupation”.

Joe Llewellyn, co-founder of OGNA , said “David Cull’s comments that China is united are extremely misguided”. Struggles have been underway since the Chinese invasion of Tibet, East Turkistan, and Inner Mongolia in the 1950’s under Mao Zedong.

“The city’s sister-city relationship with China highlights the city’s multicultural heritage, but politics should not get in the way of human rights” stated Mr Llewellyn. “We should not put economic ties before human rights, culture and matters that people hold closely to their hearts”.

“Mocking the representative of the world’s fourth largest religious faith is harmful to Dunedin’s diverse population”, Mr Benson-Guiu said. He emphasised: “Especially given that he will visit Dunedin to talk about an issue interesting to adherents of many faiths: ethics in our globalised world”.

Mr Llewellyn said: “Cull, after stating that the reason he could not greet H.H the Dalai Lama was because of a possible meeting in Wellington - a meeting so important that he could not remember what it was for”. “Cull stated 'I'm quite conscious of the Chinese sensitivity around anyone meeting the Dalai Lama, or engaging with him.” SFT and OGNA both believe that this is insulting to the Tibetan people who have suffered through genocide (as defined by the the International Commission of Jurists, 1959); death; forced abortions; torture; and life under a system of apartheid.”

“The visit by His Holiness puts Dunedin on the map. David Cull can afford to miss a meeting or two” Mr Benson-Guiu stated. “The Dalai Lama made it a priority to visit Christchurch after the earthquakes in 2011”. Joe Llewellyn agreed “He visited victims and took a tour of the city, Cull’s refusal to hold a civic reception for Him is insulting”.

“Chinese interests have also caused heated debate with the 28-storey waterfront hotel”, the groups stated.

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For further information contact (at any time)
Media liaison Daniel Benson-Guiu tel. 0223121439. E-mail: dfbensonguiu@gmail.com

And

Joe Llewellyn tel.0277102071. E-mail: joewllewellyn@gmail.com