A Tibetan perspective on the Dalai Lama and that ‘kiss’

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

I believe this is a cultural misunderstanding (Twitter)

Western media houses, including The Independent and the BBC, must reject the dissemination of fake news in the form of a serious allegation insinuating the Dalai Lama is a “child abuser” and “paedophile”. A public apology is needed to put the record straight.

When at least 55 media houses in the UK gave coverage to a few seconds of a viral video clip on social media, did they realise that they were supporting China’s disinformation campaign against the Tibetan spiritual leader?

The few seconds of the video clip showing the Dalai Lama “kissing” a young Indian student was first posted on 8 April on a fake social media account before British media ran the story two days later. Prior to this, for the first time, Chinese authorities allowed the spread of the same video carrying the Dalai Lama’s picture freely across Chinese social media platforms including in China’s occupied Tibet for weeks. Many Tibetans were very pleased to see a glimpse of their spiritual leader’s image, which is otherwise banned in Tibet.

The original clip was from a public event with over 120 M3M Foundation students and staff, held on 28 February. The playful, compassionate greeting between the Dalai Lama and the Indian student happened in the presence of his parents. The student asked the Dalai Lama for a “hug” during a Q&A session. The boy’s mother, Dr Payal Kanodia, who is the chairperson and trustee of the M3M Foundation, said afterwards: “We’re totally totally blessed to have got these blessings from His Holiness.”

The pure unadulterated acts of love, faith, and compassion by the Tibetan spiritual leader should not be compared to child abuse scandals as have happened in the churches of the UK, the US and beyond. In this instance, the two first exchanged “Oo-thuk” – foreheads touching – that represents pure love, respect in Tibetan culture. Then a “po” – a kiss on the lips, which is common in our culture until one superimposes one’s own hypersexualised views. As the Dalai Lama had nothing more to offer, he said “suck my tongue” – another translation would be “eat my tongue” (nge che le sa). Such a common, playful refrain by Tibetan elders is innocent-sounding in Tibetan, but not so when translated into English.

Genuine coverage of the Dalai Lama’s lifelong commitment to peace would be beneficial. We must not forget the nearly one million children in Tibet, who from the age of 4 to 18 are being forced into China’s colonial-style boarding schools with a long-term strategy of annihilating Tibetan identity, language and culture. Tibet is still under the illegal occupation by China, and a gross violation of human rights, including freedom of speech, is taking place.

Tsering Passang, Founder and Chair of Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities, human rights activist and former Chair of Tibetan Community UK

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We cannot forget those suffering extreme poverty overseas

After reading The Independent’s recent article on food inflation, I felt compelled to write in and urge the public to keep a global perspective. As a volunteer of The Borgen Project, who advocate for the UK and US governments to do more to ease global extreme poverty levels, I am more aware than most of how the surging levels of inflation are not unique to the Western world. Rather it is having an even more devastating effect abroad where people were already struggling to afford the basic necessities of life.

The UN estimated in the summer of 2022 that the increase in food and energy costs will plunge an additional 71 million people into poverty worldwide, with particular hotspots in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Balkans.

Whilst it is easy to get wrapped up in the situation here and now, let us not forget the extent of the suffering of those living in extreme poverty abroad, and make sure we do not cut down on our support due to our own money stresses. Maintaining foreign aid levels and donations to charities will contribute to a more stable future for all countries, with less chance of conflict and political stability which can easily cause economic crises. It is imperative that we remain open-minded about the cost of living crisis at home and remember there are millions of people fighting a much harder battle.

Hannah Naylor

Solihull

The world needs real action on the climate crisis

We developed nations are rightfully expected by the non-developed world to make the first meaningful moves on decarbonisation since we’ve done the most polluting and thus environmental damage.

Many people are fleeing global-warming-related extreme weather events and/or chronic crop failures in the southern hemisphere widely believed by climate scientists to be related to the northern hemisphere’s chronic fossil fuel burning, beginning with the industrial revolution.

We need real action – a genuine, serious effort and not just brief news-media tokenism or dismissal.

Obstacles to environmental progress were quite formidable pre-pandemic. But Covid-19 not only stalled most projects being undertaken, it added greatly to the already busy landfills and burning centers with disposable masks and other non-degradable single-use materials used as protective gear.

It is an immense challenge ahead, but we need to do more than keep climate change out of mind if it is out of sight for those lucky enough to be born in the northern hemisphere.

Frank Sterle Jr.

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Good luck to the Tories in the local elections

People are furious at the government’s attempt to disenfranchise Labour voters at elections by demanding photo ID but denying young people’s travel cards and student cards as valid IDs.

Yet they will be accepting retirees’ bus passes and similar ID. I find it amusing when those who are elderly and rich are simultaneously the most likely to vote Tory.

Anyone who relies on a bus pass to get around is highly unlikely to vote Tory when they can’t afford food or heating.

Good luck in the local elections!

Katharine Powell

Neston

Tory tactical voting is bringing the party down

I completely agree with Steve Mackinder, in his recent letter, that we shouldn’t necessarily assume that our MPs are all cut from the same cloth as their party leader. However, when I find that my local MP invariably votes with the rest of his party and responds to emails with a cut and paste of the party line, however untenable that line appears to be, then what am I to do?

It is interesting to me that when years ago, pre-Brexit, I raised my concerns that far too much power was given to Boris and the minority group, and his reply assured me that they were not to be taken as seriously as the media might suggest. Really? I wish he HAD taken them seriously and spoken up against them! He claimed to be a Remainer until after the Brexit referendum when he underwent a conversion and became a Brexiteer. I had to conclude that voting in parliament was done on a job’s-worth basis.

Clearly, I won’t vote for him. But the first past the post system means tactical voting is required. So far, unsuccessfully where I live.

Helen Watson

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