Chinese language classes are being introduced into a school in South Africa ...
Showing posts with label South_Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South_Africa. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Peace and Compassion March 2009, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Peace and Compassion March which took place under the auspices of TSSA consisted of under 100 marchers, but felt like a good beginning.
Geshe Dhonden-la blessed the march at all its stages. He opened the march with a blessing at Gandhi Square, half way through on Mandela Bridge, he blessed the march and ended with a blessing too. Guest speakers, Jo Mdhlela (South African Human Rights Commission) and Sonam Tensing (Representative of the Dalai Lama in Africa) set a wonderful tone, both speaking with wisdom, awareness and as liberation activists. The memorandum’s of the march were read and there was a sense of good spirit as marchers carried banners which spoke of peace and compassion, some bearing words of Shantideva, such as, “All happiness comes from the desire for others to be happy”.
Some marchers chanted Om Mani Padme Hum while walking and the we ended with marchers in a circle, holding hands and chanting the Mani Mantra again. We have a date established for an annual Peace and Compassion walk now and can start planning well in advance for a Peace and Compassion event next year.
One can shout “liberation” in the wind but the words will not carry very far – the words of the march’s memorandum reveal more of the secret of success: “This march is our statement of our commitment to the practice of Peace and Compassion.”
You are welcome to view more pics of our march, click here
If you are interesting in starting a Peace and Compassion event or simply wish to journey with us, join us here
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The place which is home
After our long struggle for liberation, South Africa has placed economics above our hard won progressive stand for human rights and plain down right decency toward our fellow human beings. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is an international icon of peace and compassion - objectively it makes no sense at all to ban such a person from any country. Personally, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is my spiritual leader and I feel very sad that my country has slammed its door closed in the face of someone so precious. I realise, in order not to feel loss and bereavement, that which I call home can no longer be limited to the soil on which I stand but has to expand to the place of my heart. We should all follow the example of His Holiness and embrace all beings lovingly. I hope the people governing the place where I was born will soon learn from their error, open their hearts and allow their actions to be governed by loving kindness rather than fear.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Invitation to South Africans: Peace and Compassion March
Please circulate to your South African mailing lists...
... and those in other countries: Perhaps you'd like to organise a Peace and Compassion March too?
PEACE AND COMPASSION MARCH
DATE: Sunday, 17 May 2009
TIME: 10h00
STARTING POINT: Gandhi Square (Cnr Rissik St & Fox St Johannesburg)
ROUTE: Gandhi Square to Mandela Bridge and back to Gandhi Square (approximately 4km. See map below): Ghandi Square, Rissik St, left into Jeppe St, right into West and onto Mandela Bridge.
GUEST SPEAKERS:
Sonam Tenzing; Office of Tibet, South Africa
An invitation has also been extended to a human rights speaker and to The Honourable Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to address the Peace and Compassion Marchers. If unable to to address the marchers in person, he will hopefully forward us a letter which can be read on the day.
WHO IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PEACE AND COMPASSION MARCH: Everyone who wishes to uphold and undertake the march’s theme of Peace and Compassion! Including human rights organisations - all individuals, groups and organisations who support the theme of Peace and Compassion will be welcomed.
MEMORANDUM: Organisations are welcome to send in their own memorandums to be attached to the general memorandum of the Peace and Compassion March. Memorandums should be in keeping with the spirit of the theme of the Peace and Compassion March. Deadline for submitting memorandums: 5 May 2009. Please make arrangements by calling Anna: 072 387 3900 or Elizabeth: 031 7014307.
PEACE AND COMPASSION MARCH MEMORANDUM:
On the 17 March 2009 we are marching in the spirit of Peace and Compassion.We call on South Africa to:
We are members of the general public and also specific groups and organisations.
We uphold and practice the principle of Peace and Compassion and undertake to do all we can to foster this principle within our immediate society and the world at large.
This march is our statement of our commitment to the practice of Peace and Compassion.
We are aware that as long as there is suffering in the heart of even one individual, there will be no peace on earth.
In many countries around the world, such as Tibet, Burma, most countries in Africa and many others, we see great strife either from natural disasters or from violence and warfare implemented by our fellow human beings.
- take steps toward demilitarisation and set an example of non violence to the rest of the world.
- take steps to end violence, strife and suffering where it is found, in our country, continent and the world.
- ensure there are no children to be found on our streets and all homeless children be cared for in a place of safety.
- take every step possible to take care of the sick and aged.
- ensure those without employment receive food and shelter.
WHAT YOU NEED TO BEING:
- Please being water to drink and if necessary, a snack for sustenance while walking (please do not litter).
- comfortable walking shoes
- comfortable clothing. It may be cold so please ensure you will be warm enough
- Peace and Compassion marchers may carry banners, etc appropriate to the theme of Peace and Compassion. Banners can be related to any points in the memorandum and human rights issues and if deemed necessary, can express disappointment at SA government's recent decision of not issuing visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to travel to SA to attend the 'postponed' Peace Conference. Those representing organisations may carry their own organisational banners and further can express anything pertaining the Peace and Compassion theme. All banners, etc must worded in language appropriate to the theme of the march ie; NO aggressive, abusive, angry language or tone. We reserve the right to remove banners that are seen as inappropriate to the theme of the march.
- This march is our statement of commitment to the practice of Peace and Compassion. Marchers are requested to come prepared with an inspirational quotation, piece of writing or picture relating to the theme of Peace and Compassion, in a letter or on a card. On the day of the march everyone will exchange their letter or card with a stranger who is also participating in the march. This exchange will be a gift and also a bonding with someone we do not know but who shares our vision in their unique way.
MORE ABOUT THE PEACE AND COMPASSION MARCH:
- The march has been organised under the auspices of the TSSA (Tibet Society of South Africa) but is not an event exclusive to this organisation and is open to ALL who wish to uphold the principles of Peace and Compassion to march in their own right as individuals or to represent their organisation.
- Generally, May 17 can be seen as a symbolic day where we can bring to our awareness, the suffering of others and set the intention to bring about change by firmly committing to uphold the attitude and practice of Peace and Compassion in our lives. This was the date when Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was abducted by the Communist Chinese Government in 1995. Aged six years old at the time, he was effectively the world’s youngest political prisoner. Panchen Lama, now a young man, is still under arrest and little if anything is known about him and his well being.
- TSSA ‘Peace in Tibet’ t-shirts can be ordered by those who wish to wear these on the day of the march. Please see t-shirt order details below
- Due to the march taking place on a Sunday, our memorandum’s will faxed by the march organisers, (rather than handed over): To His Excellency the President Kgalema Motlanthe (this mail has been compiled before the upcoming elections – memorandums will address the current president of South Africa) and copied to: UN Secretary-General Banki-Moon and the European Union Representative in Pretoria and the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria.
OTHER MEMORANDUMS
Memorandums of individual human rights and other organisations will be attached to the Peace and Compassion March’s memorandum.
Memorandum submitted by TSSA:
Tibet Society of South Africa (TSSA), calls for:
a) the unconditional release of Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his immediate family members, who have been under house arrest/captivity for more than 13 years, and calling on the PRC government to allow access to Panchen Lama by UN representatives;
b) the release of Tibetan political prisoners, who participated in peaceful protests/demonstrations;
c) independent international bodies/organizations to investigate the real conditions and situation inside Tibet;
d) the PRC government to allow foreign media to travel to Tibet for an 'unbiased' reporting of the actual situation; African leaders, including South Africa to urge PRC government to allow foreign journalists access to all parts of Tibet, without fear and conditions;
e) African leaders, including South African leaders, to urge PRC leadership to resolve the issue of Tibet through dialogue. To this end, the African leaders can urge the PRC leadership to discuss the recent proposal submitted by His Holiness' Envoys entitled : "Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People" with sincerity (proposal submitted to the Chinese leaders on October 31, 2008 in Beijing)
FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO ORDER ‘PEACE IN TIBET’ T-SHIRTS:
Kindly complete the following form & return it to cormkt@mweb.co.za before 5 May, 2009 so that the t-shirts can be ordered on-time. T-shirts will be issued on the morning of the march. Kindly bring correct payment.
NAME: ...................................
CONTACT TEL NR: ....................................
NUMBER OF T-SHIRTS REQUIRED: ………………..
SIZES:
Quantity / Size:
............. small
............. medium
.............. large
............... XL
............... XXL
Cost of the t-shirt R55.00 X ............... = TOTAL: ...............................
NB: If for some reason you cannot attend on the day and we have ordered you a t-shirt, won’t you please commit to paying for it so that we are not left with a large account to pay. Thank you!
Kindest regards
Peace and Compassion March organisers
If you have enquiries please contact:
Chris Kudla, Chairperson Tibet Society of SA; 031 2668 182 - office hours
Elizabeth Gaywood, Co-ordinator TSSA; 031 7014 307 - after hours
Or Anna Varney-Wong, on behalf of Peace and Compassion March organisers; info@hummingbirds.co.za
Sunday, April 12, 2009
South Africa's history and the world in 40 seconds
In South Africa it seems so often there's a self consciousness which creeps in when people of different colour or culture are in each other's company - so often there's mutual distrust. Ive seen sometimes people are apologetic or feel personally guilty because of our history and go to great lengths to try and 'make up for it all' - all in one conversation over tea - it can be quite exhausting to witness! Sometimes people are anxious because of assumptions they imagine the other to be making about them and they eager to prove they're not 'like that' and start acting out these issues. Sometimes people feel uncomfortable because of differences they perceive and this leads to awkward behaviour. Sometimes people over generalise ... all sorts.
There's racial awareness and also racism - sometimes the lines between the two blur - one or both are so often an underlying flavour when people from different cultures are together. I dream of a world where theres an embracing of both the differences and the common humanity of all beings. I guess the experience of the country I grew up in has created this yearning. This is a country where the average person you meet over a certain age has spent some time in jail.
I was no major activist yet I spent a night in jail in Pretoria, covered in a grey blanket which smelt of vomit and received a 3 year suspended sentence if I were ever 'involved in mass action' again. A couple of days later there was a tiny article in one of the papers accusing us of fraud rather than the change we'd actually called for in the racial structure of how the state theater was being run at the time. There were times I would be on the phone having a conversation with a friend or family member when a voice would jut in letting me know I was 'being watched'. The art centre I taught at in one of the townships was raided and they told us minutest details about each one of us who taught there. Sometimes on my way home my car was stopped by soldiers and the seats would be removed and the whole car searched inch by inch - for who knows what? And all I was doing was giving a fellow staff member a lift home - but I was a white girl in a black township and therefore suspect. That's all it took. Then sometimes I would experience a smash and grab after I'd left the township, losing my handbag to some person who needed to put food on the table...
I decided I was going to simply live in 'an ordinary way' and not spend my time and energy looking over my shoulder. And so my phone calls to friends continued as if no one was listening and I still gave my friends a lift home.
I remember meeting an African American in the days before Apartheid was history who told me that in his experience he felt the racism in the States was simply more sophisticated and he actually preferred the South Africans he'd met. I have never been to America and could not judge this for myself - also his words were but those of one person who'd had very a limited experience of South Africa.
South Africa was a backward and damaged country with an insane law imposing Apartheid on its people. We have not recovered and recently it feels we're going back to almost square one and many are wondering what we'd been fighting for for so many years. This time its not about racism but human rights more generally and democracy.
In some of the newer countries on our planet, the indigenous people have been all but obliterated by colonialists and older nations have similar histories buried in their past. Now we witness the Communist Chinese Government which responded to the west who fed them opium and caused terrible harm to their people. ... and how often does good grow from harm?
We see what feels like a replay of bygone centuries when we look at what's happening in Tibet, Burma and other countries - now the Communist Chinese government makes it's inroads into Africa and most recently we see our government in South Africa bow to the Communist Chinese government under the weight of financial arrangements.
The mind starts to wonder about us human beings and our tendencies to power mongering and war.
I have said a lot more than I thought I would and also so little! I guess this is what
happens when one scratches the surface of 100s years of history...
------
On a lighter note, I've heard people from other countries ask questions about South Africa which reveal that they imagine our country is jungle - they ask questions like 'do we have lions roaming round the air port?' And we have to chuckle and respond, we actually have cars in our country!
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Dalai Lama: An open letter to President Motlanthe of SA
South Africans are speaking out for our hard earned legacy of democracy and human rights. If you wish to support the call for an apology from the South African government to the Dalai Lama: Copy this text, ADD your signature to the numbered list AT THE END and email to friends;
When there are 500 signatures,
Please forward to these email addresses:
President’s Office
President
Mr Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe
leratoz@po.gov.za
Minister of Home Affairs
Ms Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula
Mamello.Morobi@dha.gov.za
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dr Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini Zuma
somersn@foreign.gov.za
NB If you wish to continue this support - PLEASE COPY and EMAIL THIS TO FRIENDS (when emails are recieved please Copy paste emails rather than simply forwarding, in order to keep the layout tidy).
LETTER
(As in online publication: http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=124115&sn=Detail
(As in online publication: http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=124115&sn=Detail
The Dalai Lama: An open letter to President Motlanthe
05 April 2009
Various individuals and organisations call for an apology to the Tibetan spiritual leader
LETTER TO PRESIDENT MOTLANTHE: GOVERNMENT MUST PROVIDE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON HUMAN RIGHTS
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals support the call by Health Minister Barbara Hogan for government to apologise for the decision to prohibit the Dalai Lama from entering South Africa. We also call on government to reverse the decision.
As Minister Hogan stated, this decision by the government was made on behalf of all citizens. It undermines the values of freedom, equality, dignity and sovereignty upon which our Constitution is founded. Given our history South Africa should be at the forefront of resisting the use of economic power to bully other countries into silence on human rights violations. But we are also concerned that there may be undeclared interests at play in the decision to bow to China on this issue, such as party political funding.
It is unfortunate that Minister Hogan has become the centre of attention regarding the ban on the Dalai Lama. The South African Human Rights Commission and others had already publicly expressed their concern regarding the government's decision prior to the statement that was made by Hogan. The real issue is not about Hogan but about the foreign policy choices of our government.
Political leaders must be loyal first and foremost to the Constitution. Hogan was not only giving voice to her conscience, but was also speaking in defence of our Constitution and the duty of the state to represent us all in a manner that is befitting of constitutional values. In the past, threats by presidents of the United States based on its economic power did not stop Nelson Mandela and other senior government leaders from speaking honestly on global human rights violations, including torture in Iraq and the rights of oppressed people to self determination.
Again we call on our government to reverse its decision to deny the Dalai Lama entry into South Africa and to apologise for its mistake. This will take courage but our people will support it as will the global community of citizens. We also call on the government to assure us that no action will be taken against Minister Hogan whose leadership of the health department has begun to repair the damage and despair caused by her predecessor.
SIGNED BY:
Prof Quarraisha - Abdol-Karim Board Member, AIDS Law Project
Zackie Achmat - Treatment Action Campaign - Deputy General Secretary and ANC Supporter
Sieraaj Ahmed
AIDS Law Project
Paula Akugizibwe
Stef Albertyn
Gabriela Altamirano - Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Yvette Andrews
Anglican Diocese of the Free State
Premi Appalraju
Tara Appalraju
Artists for a New South Africa
Assitej South Africa
Balspindie Press
Laurel Baldwin-Ragaven
Ms Vivian Black - Reproductive Health & HIV Research Unit
Ms Lucilla Blankenberg - Community Media Trust
Zenariah Barends
Daniel Barnett - Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Yoni Bass
Lunga Biyela
Lucilla Blankenberg
Adv Julia Boltar - Johannesburg Bar
Andrew Boraine
Deena Bosch
Joel Bregman
Derek Brian
Dr Brian Brink - Board Member, AIDS Law Project
Nathalie R Bucher
Adv SF Burger SC - Group 621
Rober Carr - Jamaica
Centre for Applied Legal Studies
Centre for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ)
Polly Claydon
Thomas Coggin
Rachel M Cohen
Colonnades Theatre Lab, SA
Prof. Mark Cotton
Creative Voices
Anthony Day
Anne Katrin Detjen
Xavier Donceel
Nikki de Havilland
Jacques de Villiers
Andries Dippenaar
Ms Vuyiseka Dubula - Board Member, AIDS Law Project and General Secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign
Sandi Du Bowski - United States of America
Evi Eggers
Sharon Ekambaram
Collin Eglin
Deborah Ewing
Andrew Feinstein
Friends of TAC (FoTAC)
Anik Gevers
Erica Glyn-Jones - PANSA National Chair
Andrew Feinstein
Doret Ferreira
Jenifer Festis-Ferguson
Prof. Sharon Fonn - Board Member, AIDS Law Project
Louis Fourie
Vivian Fritelli
Nicole Fritz
Sr Veronica Fynn
Nathan Geffen - Treatment Action Campaign
Eric Goemaere
Gregg Gonsalves - United States of America
Lucia Gorne
Andy Gray - Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in SA (CAPRISA)
Temoris Grecko - Mexico
Jacqueline Green - United States of America
Dotan Greenvald - Israeli Peace and Justice Activist
Charlie Greenwood-Elliott
Anna Grimsrud
Deon Groenewald
Grant Gunston
Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Camilla Hansen
Prof. Shireen Hassim - Wits University
Yvette Hardie
Paula Hathorn
Dr Anneke C Hesseling
Health and Human Rights Programme and School of Public Health and Family Medicine - UCT
Robert Hendricks
Frances Hill
Nokhwezi Hoboyi
Rebecca Hodes - Treatment Action Campaign
Karl Hoffman
Dr Simone Honikam - Head: Perinatal Mental Health Project : UCT
Dr Lyn Horn
Denise Hunt AIDS Consortium
Gilad Isaacs
Vuyani Jacobs - Community Media Trust
Dr Marie Jobson
Dr G Josias
Demille Jovan
Rhoda Kadalie
Rozanne Kamalie
Iphegenia Kerfoot
Julian Kesler
Mazkir Klali - Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Larissa Klazinga - One in Nine Campaign
Louise Knight
Justice Johann Kriegler
Board Member, AIDS Law Project
Gerald Kraak
Atlantic Philanthropies
Victor Lakay
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR)
Katherine Lawrence
Adv Michelle Le Roux - Johannesburg Bar
Karl Le Roux - RuDASA
Yaron Lever - Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Simon Lewin
Jack Lewis - Community Media Trust
Graeme Lipschitz
Daniel Linda - Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Prof. Leslie London
Rev Steven Lottering
Carol Luka
Chani Macauley
Mikhael Manekin - Israeli Peace & Justice Activist
Mari Martinsen
Moses Masitha
Sithembile Mbete
Dr Cheryl McDermid
Stephen McGill - Canada
Anneke Meerkotter - Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre
Graeme Meintjes
Letti Mdani
Gaoretelelwe N N Molebalwa
Moeketsi Montsho
David Moore
Mosamaria AIDS Ministry
Peter John Moses
Michael Moss
Keketso Mptale
Nhlanhla Ndlovu - Board Member, AIDS Law Project and Trustee, Centre for Economic Governance and AIDS in Africa
Tantaswa Ndlelana
Attapon Ted Ngoksin - International Treatment Preparedness Coalition Secretariat
Joseph N Ngunju
Ambassadors for Change, Kenya
Dr James Nuttall
Caleb Orozco - United Belizze Advocacy Movement - Belize)
Dr Heidi Orth
Dr Nesri Padayatchi - Centre for AIDS Programme of Research in SA (CAPRISA)
Shane Petzer
Le Nhan Phuong - Atlantic Philanthropies
Prof. Marius Pieterse - Board Member, AIDS Law Project
Prof. Wolfgang Preiser
Ilan Price - Habonim Dror Southern Africa
Catherine Pringle
Public Service Accountability Monitor
Helena Rabie
Yvette Alta Raphael
Zina Raj
Fazel Randera
Molebogeng Rangaka
Michael Rautenbach - Siyayinqoba, Beat It!
Shaun Resnik
Mandy Ristow
Bernice Roeland - Director of AIDS Response
Peter Rutherford
SA Human Rights Commission
Cathryn Salter-Jansen
Joery Sasse
Eric Sawyer - Co-Founder ACT UP NY
Sass Schulz
Kira Schlesinger
Simon Sephton
Fisani Sekwele
Butjwana Seokoma - SANGONeT
Siber Ink Publishers
Gavin Silber
Abongile Sipondo
Jill Sloan
Social Justice Coalition
Theo Steele - Board Member, AIDS Law Project
Jenny Stead
Ilan Strauss
Francois Taljaard
The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa
Lega Thlame
Alison Tilley
Treatment Action Campaign
Adv Wim Trengrove- Johannesburg Bar
Adv Duncan Turner - Johannesburg Bar
Daniel Turton - United States of America
Adv David Unterhalter SC - Johannesburg Bar
Prof. Donna Van Bogaert - Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics
Dr Gilles van Cutsem
Annalie van Niekerk
Desmond van Niekerk
Vernita van Niekerk
Pieter van Rooijen - Netherlands
Gert van Zyl
Rouvanne van der Berg
Alex van der Heever
Willem van der Linde
Ahmien van der Walt
Dr Francois Venter
Sara Weiss
Adv Matthew Welz
Jodi Wishnia
Jonathan Whittall
Thein Win
Wan Yanhai - Beiking Aizhixing Institute, China
Nathan Geffen - Treatment Action Campaign Treasurer
Brian Honermann - AIDS Law Project, Researcher
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=124115&sn=Detail
Now email and ADD your signature to the numbered list below
If you wish to post comments on the original website, click here:
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=124115&sn=Detail
When there are 500 signatures on the email you receive,
please forward to these email addresses:
President’s Office
President
Mr Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe
leratoz@po.gov.za
Minister of Home Affairs
Ms Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula
Mamello.Morobi@dha.gov.za
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dr Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini Zuma
somersn@foreign.gov.za
We the undersigned, support the letter titled:
“The Dalai Lama: An open letter to President Motlanthe
05 April 2009
Various individuals and organisations call for an apology to the Tibetan spiritual leader
LETTER TO PRESIDENT MOTLANTHE: GOVERNMENT MUST PROVIDE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON HUMAN RIGHTS”,
published on the link: http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=124115&sn=Detail
1. Anna Varney-Wong - South Africa
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
I can't believe I've just been hacked!
Surely there are bigger fish?
See this site where I was commenting on a blog titled: “How much did it cost to buy out the ANC’s soul?”. I commented under the name: HummingBird. Next moment there was another post by HummingBird – a real communist Chinese post saying something about Tibet being free and everyone is happy there. Where I commented next my name came up as Barry Benson! I reported the false HummingBird post and see its been deleted and there’s an investigation...
My post that put their back up:
It seems crazy to think we could be like Tibet soon. I guess the main difference is the majority of our population arent Buddhist - only a small minority is. People are only hearing the rumblings now - they dont realize what these mean yet.
http://hummingbird333.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-dont-even-have-tv.html
May all beings practice love and compassion.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
I dont even have a TV
I do not have a TV. I rarely listen to the news on the radio and when I do I feel I'm reminded why. I have always felt that the important news will reach me because people speak about it in the streets.
I'm not completely switched off, I have been assisting as editor on the Burmese News
I come from a country where our recent history of Apartheid politicized me from an early age and I guess I have been happy recently to be able to take a 'relative break' with a picture of a 'Rainbow Nation' growing slowly but hopefully surely. Now for the past 3 days I'm behaving like a scavenger collecting and spreading information like wild fire... why?
We've been aware of the tragedy of Tibet since 1959 and the more recent tragedy of Burma and other countries. As with the outbreak of AIDS we had the sense, "terribly sad but it will never happen to me". Not so...
The South African government has banned the Dalai Lama from South Africa. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is my spiritual leader, so this hits me hard personally. But even when I look at the mysterious banning of this international icon of Peace and Compassion from a non personal perspective I see a chilling picture unfolding...
Remember back to April 2008, a Chinese ship full of weapons for Robert Mugabe found off the coast of South Africa? It hit the news for a few days - here in South Africa anyway...
Now I think about it - Mbeki, the South African president at the time, for some reason which baffled the minds of many South Africans never took a stand about the shocking way Mugabe was ruining his own country, Zimbabwe.
The puzzle is piecing together bit by bit...
Let's look further:
Here is a BBC report dated 2008:
China 'is fuelling war in Darfur'
Why didn't I see this earlier??? I've been hearing what sounded like jokes re China and Africa for some time - the latest was this very morning in a FaceBook post:
ANC: Another Nation for China
I guess it sounded like amusing conspiracy theory stuff.
So we just carried on...
Look at this, January 2008:
Special Report: China Storms Africa. With its resource-hungry push into the sub-Sahara, Beijing puts the planet to the test.
A FaceBooker, Donald Dean, in a Group, We Want The Dalai Lama to come to South Africa,
"The Great Chinese Takeout
The sub-Sahara is now the scene of one of the most bare-knuckled resource grabs the world has ever seen:
Mozambique (a key source of timber for China)
Zambia (copper)
Congo (a wide range of minerals)
Equatorial Guinea (oil)
World Bank survey of 68 countries last year found that the sub-Sahara leads in the "percentage of firms expected to give gifts" to secure government contracts (43%).
"People are not worried about saving the environment; they are worried about getting some before it all runs out. That's the mentality: 'China is just going to consume everything -- let's get it now!' "
This morning I google news and find:
South Africa's Sad Descent and the Implications for Democracy Promotion
Demise of hard fought for liberation
I wrote this poem a few days ago in a blog:
When we turn away
(dedicated to Tibet, Burma and countries preyed upon by China... to all countries)
The enemy was a shadow
Now we see a mountain
The seed of our hearts
reaches places we do not even know
Do not turn from those in need
Their strife will be ours
Is it too late? How far has this disease spread? If aware South Africans put their shoulder to the grindstone can we still stop this wheel from turning? Will the world support us now - it is simply a matter of time before we are the New Tibet....
this disease spreads
Monday, March 23, 2009
When we turn away
(dedicated to Tibet, Burma and countries preyed upon by China... to all countries)
The enemy was a shadow
Now we see a mountain
The seed of our hearts
reaches places we do not even know
Do not turn from those in need
Their strife will be ours
Sunday, March 22, 2009
I thought one could start feeling good about being South African... now this
My heart is very sad. I cannot accept this.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20090322072906130C215845
Outrage has greeted the government's ban on a visit to South Africa by the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, who was due to take part in a 2010 World Cup-organised peace conference in Johannesburg on Friday.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who is in California, told the Sunday Tribune he was upset at the refusal of a visa to the Dalai Lama and had written to President Kgalema Motlanthe asking him for an explanation.
"If His Holiness's visa is refused, then I won't take part in the coming 2010 World Cup-related peace conference. I will condemn government's behaviour as disgraceful, in line with our country's abysmal record at the United Nations Security Council, a total betrayal of our struggle history," he said.
"We are shamelessly succumbing to Chinese pressure; I feel deeply distressed and ashamed," he said.
The Dalai Lama had been invited by his three fellow South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW De Klerk, and Tutu.
Dave Steward, spokesman for the F W De Klerk Foundation, said, "There is no reason why the Dalai Lama, who is recognised as a champion of peace, and as a Nobel Laureate, should be denied entry into South Africa.
"South Africa should not allow any country to dictate who it should and should not allow to visit."
The Dalai Lama, who is honorary co-chairman of the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre, was denied travel documents on March 4 and asked to postpone the trip amid opposition from the Chinese government.
Over the past two years, South Africa has been China's key trade partner in Africa, accounting for 20.8 percent of China's trade with Africa, while Chinese foreign direct investment in South Africa was about $6 billion (R60bn), and South Africa's foreign direct investment in China came to $2bn (R20bn).
Dai Bing, ministerial counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Pretoria, confirmed that his government had appealed to the South African government not to allow the Dalai Lama into the country, warning that if it did so, this would harm bilateral relations.
Dai said this was a particularly inopportune time for the Dalai Lama to visit the country as it was the 60th anniversary of what Tibetans regard as China's military invasion of Tibet, but which the Chinese government describes as its liberation of Tibetans from feudal serfdom.
It was also the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's flight from Tibet into exile in India and the first anniversary of the serious political unrest in Tibet last March.
The South African Friends of Tibet said yesterday that the barring of the Dalai Lama from the peace conference made a mockery of the intentions of this conference, and it appealled to the conference organisers, the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee, to postpone the proceedings until the Dalai Lama had been issued travel documents to South Africa.
The lobby group expressed dismay at the withholding of travel documents to the Dalai Lama, as South Africa bowed to pressure from one of the world's most oppressive nations, claiming that S F Moloi, the South African high commissioner in New Delhi, had effectively banned the Dalai Lama by not processing his travel documents,and requesting him to postpone the trip.
Ronnie Mamoepa, the foreign affairs spokesman, denied the government was blocking the invite to the Dalai Lama, insisting that, "no invitation had been extended to the Dalai Lama".
When it was put to him that the Tibetan office in Pretoria had applied for a visa for the Dalai Lama on March 4, Mamoepa said; "Visas are issued by Home Affairs and not us…"
Asked if South Africa had withheld an invitation to the Dalai Lama under pressure from China, Mamoepa said, "This place is called the Republic of South Africa and not China and thus makes its own sovereign, independent decisions based on what it deems to be in the best interests of the country."
The Dalai Lama was invited to speak at the conference, whose line-up includes the Nobel Peace Prize committee from Norway and Charlize Theron and Morgan Freeman, who plays Mandela in a movie about the Rugby World Cup in 1995.
However, in a letter sent last week to the three South African Nobel Laureates, the Dalai Lama apologised for not being able to attend, saying he had been asked to postpone the trip.
The Dalai Lama has visited South Africa twice before. In 1999 he took part in the World Parliament of Religions and met then President Thabo Mbeki.
However, a row broke out after Mbeki agreed to see the Dalai Lama again separately. The Chinese government protested and Mbeki cancelled the meeting.
In 2004 the Dalai Lama again visited South Africa as a guest of the African Cultural Heritage Trust.
* This article was originally published on page 13 of Tribune on March 22, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
