Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday, May 5, 1996

5 May - Politikenin - the largest Danish newspaper

Dalai Lama, the Tibetan exile leader, would like to be friend, "a true friend", with the Chinese. Try reading this once more: The man whom China has forced into exile - who for decades has seen his nation be oppressed, tortured and both culturally and economically ruined - wants to be "friend" with the Chinese.

Not with the totalitarian power in Beijing and its rulers. But with its present victims and the future leaders of the country, i.e. with the Chinese themselves.

What bloody and beautifull irony: While most of the world bows for Beijing, it is the non-violence leader Dalai Lama who reminds us about universalism - that human rights belong to us all, including the Chinese.

He concedes that a pressue on China and a dialogue with Chinese intellectuals kan "create some disturbances in relations with the Chinese government". But he believes in freedom and dignity, also to the Middle Kingdom.

All things considered we do not owe any dictatorship respect. We can recognise its power. We can find it necessary to trade and negotiate. But we only owe respect to the vitims of the dictatorship. And, as the Dalai Lama points out, freedom, democracy and welfare will also come to China.

It should not happen in defiance of us. Therefore we should be glad that the government after some consideration has decided to ask the Dalai Lama for a meeting with our minister for foreign affairs. Maybe this will create a little "disturbance" in our relation to the mighty men in Beijing. But we can live with it.

The Dalai Lama has something to teach China if the regime in Beijing wants to listen. He likewise has something to teach us all - both our government, our industry, all of us - if we will listen during the coming hearing in Christiansborg (the parliament building).

Freedom stems from strength of mind, not from trade statistics. Sometimes it is the few who must fight for it. But it belongs to us all, and it is worth the effort.

This we do not have to tell the Dalai Lama. He knows it already. But the message should be brought to the power-holders in Beijing.

We owe ourselves this. And we owe it to Tibet.

Submitted by anders@cybernet.dk (Anders H=F8jmark Andersen)