Sri Lankan President not meeting Dalai Lama in India

[kris]

More and more countries are avoiding HH Dalai Lama...

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/lankan-president-not-meeting-dalai-lama-in-india/1/903350.html

Colombo, Mar 13 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today rejected a report that he was planning to meet the Dalai Lama in India.

A local news report had claimed that Sirisena was to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader at a university function in Bihar.

"The President (Sirisena) has no immediate plans to visit India whatsoever," a statement from his office said.
Sri Lanka supports the One China policy.

After Sirisenas victory in 2015, a group of Buddhist monks had invited the Dalai Lama to visit Sri Lanka, a Buddhist majority country, but the visit did not take place.

China views the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace laureate who fled into exile in India after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in 1959, as a dangerous separatist.

[ShugdenProtector]

Geez more and more world leaders are saying NO to HH the Dalai Lama! I guess it would make more sense especially when there is really nothing much the Tibetan exile government can give anyone except more headaches and spoils their relationship with China that can boost their economy and help their country grow.

Besides the Theravadan monks in Sri Lanka has also never really looked up or considered HH the Dalai Lama as a Buddhist leader... stating "we don't accept him as the leader of the Buddhists." in an old article from Aljazeera http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/07/sri-lanka-hardline-monk-denounces-dalai-lama-20147221518638936.html

The only other country that is still entertaining HH the Dalai Lama, because they are using him to antagonise China is India. But we all know this is not going to be for long. As for now the Tibetan leadership is milking the west for their gullible stupidity because they know that after HHDL passes, they is no more free meals for them!

[SabS]

Well, it is not surprising that Sri Lanka President, Maithripala Sirisena is disputing the report of planned meeting with the Dalai Lama in India. Especially when Sri Lanka is in commercial trade with China that brings in growth to this island state. From past record, Sri Lanka had rejected the application by the group of Buddhist monks for the Dalai Lama to visit for fear of antagonising China. So it doesn't make sense that the President will now risk the progression by meeting with China's nemesis, the Dalai Lama.

Wow, I wonder who would leaked this false information to the newspaper. Are they trying to show more support for the Dalai Lama or have they a vendetta against Sri Lanka, knowing that any association with the Dalai Lama will definitely invite the wrath from China?

With China's popularity and effective outreach programmes that helps the various countries' economic conditions, why would they sacrifice this generosity for some government who is still "refugees" living on the goodwill of others and can never help in anyway. Even CTA's famous trump card, the Dalai Lama is embroiled in the cruel Ban of an authentic 400 year old protector practice of Dorje Shugden which lead to so much sufferings for the practitioners and separating their strength in two. Absolutely illogical the path chosen by CTA.

[DharmaDefender]

Geez more and more world leaders are saying NO to HH the Dalai Lama! I guess it would make more sense especially when there is really nothing much the Tibetan exile government can give anyone except more headaches and spoils their relationship with China that can boost their economy and help their country grow.

Besides the Theravadan monks in Sri Lanka has also never really looked up or considered HH the Dalai Lama as a Buddhist leader... stating "we don't accept him as the leader of the Buddhists." in an old article from Aljazeera http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/07/sri-lanka-hardline-monk-denounces-dalai-lama-20147221518638936.html

The only other country that is still entertaining HH the Dalai Lama, because they are using him to antagonise China is India. But we all know this is not going to be for long. As for now the Tibetan leadership is milking the west for their gullible stupidity because they know that after HHDL passes, they is no more free meals for them!

Your right no one else entertains the Dalai Lama. No one in Asia at least, except for India and maybe Taiwan. Youve not seen him go to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc and these are places youd expect to invite him since theyve got a large Buddhist population. Then in Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia are not exactly a fan and hes not got a huge following in Latin America. In Africa, its only really South Africa because of Desmond Tutu and even then, havent they rejected him for a visa before?

Sure hes got support in some areas of Western Europe but its never going to be strong, and its never going to be at the risk of those countries relationships with China. Do you really think a struggling Greece or Spain would ditch economic benefits with China, to support the Dalai Lama? Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands havent that much clout.

So the Tibetan leadership had better buck up and take notice of this. Theyve only got the US, Australia, Canada and us Brits to beg money from and slowly but surely, all of us are eventually going to have to make friends with China. Dharamsala really, really needs to come back to reality and face the facts: their not that popular.

[Joo Won]

In 2015, Dalai Lama was invited to visit to Sri Lanka by a Buddhist group however the visit did not take place due to the Sirisena's government rejected the request and stated that it holds to One China Policy, and China is the main investor of the country.

Now comes to 2017, Sirisena government is not changing from its One China Policy comes as no surprise, as China's economy might and prowess would only make most country in the world say YES to her. Those countries invite and dare to say NO to China are either you are much more mighty than China or you are to small and did not receive any economy aids or hardly have economy ties with China.

Tibetan leadership should realize the fact that Tibetans will bear very heavy price to say NO and against China's will. But why the CTA still dare to offend China? Either Tibetan leadership really do not have the wisdom to know this fact OR they have known it long time ago but they never think of the fate and welfare of fellow Tibetans. As long as Tibetan leaders' pocket is full, they can migrate to US, UK or anywhere of the world, they do not care much the FUTURE of Tibetans and Tibet cause. They must be looking for short-term self interest, therefore they still work against China and put almost no effort in the goal of a better Tibet. 

[Ringo Starr]

There is more to the decision than just China being the largest foreign investor in Sri Lanka.

Firstly, HH Dalai Lama is seen as being pro-India. Well he is seen that way because he owes India his refuge from the invading Chinese.

Sri Lanka on the other hand is anti-India. Sri Lanka was fighting a decades old civil war against the separatist Tamil Tigers who have familial and strong ties with the people of South India. For decades, Sri Lanka did not have the financial resources to win the war. This civil war finally ended with Chinese funding.

In return for funding winning the war, China has been granted concessions to build strategic infrastructure in South Sri Lanka. The deep sea port of Hambantota in particular is one such strategic asset.

Unfortunately with such strategic assets and not economic assets, the people of Sri Lanka have seen little benefit. Debt has piled up to unserviceable levels. In fact, protests have recently erupted:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshepard/2017/01/08/violent-protests-against-chinese-colony-in-hambantota-sri-lanka-rage-on/2/#d8cddee1504e

So things will continue to change. For now, the Dalai Lama will not be welcomed.

[grandmapele]

Unfortunately, that's what happens when you mix politics with religion. As stated by Ringo Starr, Sri Lanka cannot afford to tip the apple cart as debt has risen to an unserviceable level.

Moreover, Sri Lanka only has to look at the after effects in Mongolia and the Dalai Lama's visit there. On secular level, it put Mongolia in financial difficulty as China decided that since Mongolia is siding the Dalai Lama, therefore they are declaring their financial independence, China decided to cut their aid. Can Sri Lanka afford for that to happen to them?

So, the government of Sri Lanka is a very secular body and governing the country is very secular job, they have to made decisions based on relevant information. They have to watch which way the wind is blowing.

[Rowntree]

Sri Lanka has always been a Theravada Buddhist country that uphold the source of the Pali canon tradition and the Bhikshuni vows tradition that were not found elsewhere. To say the Dalai Lama is the head of Buddhism is definitely not fair because the head of Buddhism is generally understood as Buddha Shakyamuni for all Buddhist schools. Secondly, Sri Lanka, just like all countries in the world is heavily rely on the Chinese powers for trade, so it is really not difficult to understand why her President refuses to meet with the Dalai Lama. The President should by now have many examples he can refers to where those who choose to meet with the Dalai Lama ended up not receiving  the trade agreement that was agreed prior by China. Unless Sri Lanka has other outlets, which is unlikely so, it is surely a wise move to not meet with the Dalai Lama.

[Erstvollzug]

The Tibetan govt in exile (CTA) will get more and more rejections even from countries like Sri Lanka that are Buddhist. There is no benefit in hooking up with CTA because they give you nothing back. The list of countries and leaders willing to see/host Dalai Lama are rapidly dropping and not increasing. It is better not to associate with CTA or this will jeopardize the business/profit relations with China. Everyone wants to be friends with China now. That is the right direction. All economies need a boost and China can help. Those are just the facts now. 

[kris]

CTA knows they CANNOT "win" China and get Tibetan Autonomy. No matter what strategy they use, China can just choose to ignore them and let them rot. All CTA is doing now, is to milk the westerners as much as they can for their own benefit before CTA is no longer "useful" to the westerns.

Seriously, CTA is not even "useful" for westerners to upset China these day. The westerners would rather spend money on Taiwan and China Sea to upset China.

I only pity the people who are in exile.

[DharmaSpace]

China made it possible for Sri Lanka to end insurgency and instability at Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has suffered so much on so many levels, due to the conflict, so much missed opportunities and non investment of Sri Lanka due to the conflict. So much lives have been wasted due to the conflict and so much suffering until China put a stop to it.

The Western Powers tried to intervene they failed, India also had a hand in it but they also failed. China managed to close this instability once and for all. 

[Pema8]

Sri Lanka is still holding on to the One China policy and there is no change to expect.

The support for the CTA gets less and less as people see who really benefits them and who only creates more problems.

So the Chinese have at least helped to stop the long and cruel civil war. What would the visit of the Dalai Lama bring for them? How would the CTA help the country?

Decisions are easily made in this case I guess!
Too bad for the Tibetan people in exile, they have to suffer the consequences of the CTA who does nothing to help his people and find a solution since 60 years. What a pity!

In 2015, Dalai Lama was invited to visit to Sri Lanka by a Buddhist group however the visit did not take place due to the Sirisena's government rejected the request and stated that it holds to One China Policy, and China is the main investor of the country.

Now comes to 2017, Sirisena government is not changing from its One China Policy comes as no surprise, as China's economy might and prowess would only make most country in the world say YES to her. Those countries invite and dare to say NO to China are either you are much more mighty than China or you are to small and did not receive any economy aids or hardly have economy ties with China.
... 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11999611
Sri Lanka country profile

Lying off the southern tip of India, the tropical island of Sri Lanka has attracted visitors for centuries with its natural beauty.
But it has been scarred by a long and bitter civil war arising out of ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and the Tamil minority in the northeast.
After more than 25 years of violence the conflict ended in May 2009, when government forces seized the last area controlled by Tamil Tiger rebels. But recriminations over abuses by both sides continue.The island fell under Portuguese and Dutch influence after the 16th century. It gained independence in 1948, after nearly 150 years of British rule.