By Kalsang Rinchen
Dharamsala, May 5 – A man who is known for his compassion, from whom many draw inspiration and who is looked up to as their hero has found his hero in another man. “He has an indomitable spirit, he is a real practitioner of compassion, and a living example of peace, he is my hero,” said the Dalai Lama as he introduced Richard Moore, a 48 year old Irish man who at the age of 10 was blinded by a rubber bullet fired by a British soldier.
The Tibetan leader was speaking today to a gathering at the TCV School where more than a thousand Tibetan children have gathered to listen to the man who inspires the Tibetan leader.
Richard was accompanied by Charles, the British soldier who had shot him on May 4, 1972 in Derry, Ireland, Richard’s hometown. Richard said he had no bitterness or anger against Charles whom he met in 2006 and befriended him. In 1996, Richard started “the Children in crossfire”, a charity that helps children around the world who are caught in the crossfire of poverty.
“I have learned to see life in a different way”, is how he describes his remarkable acceptance of what, for most, would be a debilitating trauma. “You can take away my sight, but you can not take away my vision which is to help impoverished children all over the world.” The story of Children in Crossfire has its roots in what began as a tragedy and ended as a triumph of the human spirit to overcome adversity. Working in Africa, Asia and South America Children in Crossfire has become an international organisation working to protect and promote the rights of some of the world’s most vulnerable children.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama had personally initiated today’s gathering as he thought “it would be a wonderful opportunity for the Tibetan children to interact with the man whom he looks up to as a hero and inspiration.”
“Many of us would be mad in anger and animosity at the person who blinded us, even I might get bitter against the man but Richard has not had a tint of bitterness against Charles, which is very difficult especially as a child with no formal training in religious philosophies. That touched me deeply,” said the 1989 Nobel peace laureate, adding that people like Richard are truly deserving of Nobel peace prize.
The only regret that Richard had after he was blinded was that he would never see his mother and father again, said the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness honoured Richard with a Khata (traditional well-wishing scarf) and a citation which the Tibetan leader read himself to the audience that comprised mainly of children from 5 schools. Richard became one of the very few people in the world to receive citation of honour from the Dalai Lama himself.
Before leaving the stage, the Dalai Lama removed his glasses, held Richard’s hand and gently caressed on his own face and said, “Since he can’t see my face this is how I say goodbye to him,” before bursting into his childlike laughter. Richard later interacted with the Tibetan children who expressed joy in meeting him and asked questions about Richard’s experiences.
The Dalai Lama was the key note speaker at Children in Crossfire’s 10th Anniversary Conference in Derry in 2007 when Richard was invited by the Tibetan leader to visit here.
Richard’s father, Liam, offered to give him his own eyes in 1972. Thirty seven years later his father’s question is the title of Richard’s autobiography, Can I Give Him My Eyes
Richard lives in Ireland with his mother, 91, wife Rita and two daughters.
