Dharamsala, April 19 – The Democratic Alliance has asked the government to disclose whether it has extended invitation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the presidential inauguration on May 9, 2009, according to the official website of the main opposition party of South Africa.
The South African government indicated Thursday that it has already invited various heads of state to attend the presidential inauguration.
“The Dalai Lama is a head of an exiled government and a champion of human rights which should suitably qualify him to attend the event. It would also be a fitting way to compensate him for the embarrassment previously caused by denying him a visa,” said a message by Joe Seremane, DA Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs.
“If the government was genuine in its earlier assurance that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is welcome to visit South Africa in future, it must do the right thing and invite him to the presidential inauguration. If it fails to do so it must explain its reasons for continuing to prevent him from visiting our country,” said Seremane.
Seremane further said that inviting the Dalai Lama to the presidential inauguration will go a long way in improving South Africa’s tarnished international image which was severely aggravated by the government’s refusal to grant him a visa to attend the 2010 Soccer World Cup Peace Conference.
