The Age Fri, September 19, 2003
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/18/1063625159989.html
Violence needed to fight terror: Buddha's man of peace By Laurie Goodstein New York
The Dalai Lama, a Nobel peace prize winner and one of the world's most prominent advocates of non-violence, says it might be necessary to fight terrorists with violence.
He also says it is too early to say whether the war in Iraq was a mistake. "I feel only history will tell," he said in an interview.
"Terrorism is the worst kind of violence, so we have to check it, we have to take countermeasures," the Dalai Lama said.
He spoke on Wednesday during his first visit to New York since the 2001 terrorist attacks. He is on the last stop of a US tour that has highlighted his dual roles as Buddhist avatar and head of state.
During the visit he has met Tibetan exiles in several cities, dedicated an inter-faith temple and pressed the Tibetan cause in Washington.
At a time when many political and religious leaders are saying the American anti-terrorism campaign and the war in Iraq are only fuelling additional terrorism, the Dalai Lama refused to pass judgement.
But he emphasised that "the real antidote" to terrorism in the long run is "compassion, dialogue - peaceful means" - even with terrorists. "We have to deal with their motivation," he said. "Terrorism comes out of hatred, and also short-sightedness."
He likened Osama bin Laden to a butcher who has grown inured to slaughtering animals. With terrorists, he said, applying a Buddhist analysis, "their whole mind is dominated by negative emotions".
He rejected the prediction popularised by some scholars that the world is headed towards a "clash of civilisations" between Christian and Muslim nations.
He cited the case of the Soviet Union, whose people once expressed hostility towards the US and the West but had now changed their minds. The Arab world could do the same, he said.
The Dalai Lama, 68, was interviewed in a hotel room in Manhattan as he prepared for the first of four days of teaching in Buddhist philosophy.
Since he was driven out of Tibet 44 years ago by the Chinese, he has never been back. But he said that he "certainly" expected that China would eventually allow him and other Tibetans living in exile to return.
He long ago abandoned the goal of independence from China. Instead, he said, he now sought "autonomy". _________________________ http://www.theage.com.au/ -- Macdonald Stainsby. -- http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green In the contradiction lies the hope. -Brecht.
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