Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Cape Town’s plans to host Africa’s first summit of Nobel Peace Laureates have seen a major blow with the confirmation that three laureates have withdrawn in protest over Pretoria’s refusal to grant the Dalai Lama a visa.
It is the third time in five years that the Dalai Lama has been barred from visiting South Africa, a move that is widely viewed as avoiding embarrassing key trading partner China.
US political activist Jody Williams, Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee have all indicated that they will not attend the event which is scheduled to be held October 13-15.
In addition, The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which was a joint winner of the peace prize with Williams in 1997, has also cancelled.
Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said the summit would still go ahead.
The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRC) denied that it had refused a visa to the Dalai Lama, saying instead that he had cancelled his application.
It said “the South African High Commission in New Delhi was still processing the visa application in line with due process” when the Dalai Lama withdrew his application.
However, De Lille said that on the basis of the government’s telephone contact with the office of the Dalai Lama, “it was clear that his application was going to be refused and His Holiness withdrew his application to avoid any further embarrassment.”
She described the decision as “appalling”, noting that “it is indeed a dark day for South Africa when the ideals for which Nelson Mandela and so many others fought are sold to the highest bidder”.
A recent letter from 14 Nobel Peace Laureates urged the South African government to reconsider its decision.
“We understand the sensitivities involved – but would like to point out that His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, no longer holds any political office and would participate in the Summit solely in his capacity as a globally respected spiritual leader. We are deeply concerned about the damage that will be done to South Africa’s international image by a refusal – or failure – to grant him a visa yet again,” the laureates said.
