LL:PR: Dalai Lama opposes use of force

[FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign]

1. Dalai Lama opposes use of force (UPI)

NEW DELHI, India, Sep 17, 2001 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- 
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has urged the United States not 
to use force in retaliation against the terrorist strikes on New York and 
Washington.

In a letter written to President Bush, the exiled Tibetan leader said the 
use of force in retaliation against the terrorist strikes on New York and 
Washington "might not be appropriate."

"Any problem within humanity should be solved in a humanitarian way and 
Ahimsa (non-violence) is the human way of approaching a target," the letter 
said.

The Dalai Lama wrote: "The essence of all major religions, I believe, is

forgiveness, brotherhood and sisterhood along with many other things. But 
there are people who use religion ... but blaming a particular religion will

not be appropriate."

"It is wrong to describe it as an act by Muslim terrorists. Because, I think

all religions have the same potential to strengthen human values and to 
develop general harmony," the Press Trust of India reported, quoting from 
the letter.

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2. Dalai Lama urges U.S. to shun violence (Reuters)

CALCUTTA, India, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the

Dalai Lama urged the United States on Monday not to respond militarily to 
last week's devastating attacks, saying only non-violence could combat 
international terrorism.

"While I express my sympathy, I have appealed to the U.S. president not to 
respond with more violence as violence is not an appropriate answer," the 
Tibetan Buddhist leader told a news conference in Calcutta.

The Dalai Lama fled from his homeland to India with thousands of followers 
in 1959, nine years after the Chinese army entered Tibet and overthrew the 
Buddhist theocracy there.

The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate's comments came after Pope John Paul 
appealed on Sunday to the world not to allow the attacks on New York and 
Washington to lead to more violence, and not to allow "a spiral of hate and 
violence" to prevail.

The United States has pledged to avenge the attacks by hijacked airliners 
that slammed into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center and the 
Pentagon near Washington last Tuesday.

NON-VIOLENCE ONLY ANSWER

"Most cases of violence only cause destruction...these things will have to 
be prevented the non-violent way. Only non-violent means can counter 
terrorism in the long-term," the Dalai Lama said.

The United States has said Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, harboured by 
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, was the prime suspect behind the attacks in 
which some 5,000 people were killed or are missing.

Bin Laden, a 44-year-old multi-millionaire, has denied he was responsible, 
saying Afghanistan would not permit it.

The Dalai Lama said he believed there were numerous causes for the attacks.

"Every event has many causes...you can't just pick up one individual-- 
Osama bin Laden -- and say he was responsible. That is not realistic," said 
the Dalai Lama, whose exiled government accuses China of repression in Tibet.

"The economic gap between the rich and poor nations is one factor (that 
could have been responsible)," he said.

But the Dalai Lama said the attacks could not have been sanctified by any 
religion.

"The essence of all major religions is compassion, forgiveness, 
contentment, self-discipline and brotherhood," he said.

"Some people may only be using the name of religion to justify their 
actions," he said.


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