Today is the 50th Anniversary of the Dalai Lama's escape.
I met him once here in the City Hall in Durban and spent about two hours in his presence - we were showing him around an exhibition for Artists for Human Rights. I edited the Catalogue of the opening of the Human Rights Print Portfolio , so I had some privileges at the opening.
I was amazed at how ordinary he seemed and what a great sense of humor he has. He was laughing and making jokes, all the time.
But like Madiba, he just had that "thing" that made you feel so blessed and special and humble and happy and all kinds of good feelings, just to be in his presence.
Today, China is on the alert. President Hu Jintao yesterday called for a "great wall" of stability in Tibet on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the failed anti-Chinese uprising which led to the Dalai Lama's flight into exile.
Ratu Ngawang Remembers
Ratu Ngawang, now 83, then a hardened young guerrilla fighter who was responsible for getting the spiritual leader out of China, is celebrated among Tibetan exiles for his role in the Dalai Lama's epic escape across the Himalayas.
He remembers:"We killed many of their soldiers, and without regret," he said. "I was an experienced warrior and was unafraid. We were battling to save the Dalai Lama, so we were prepared to die. Many of my best friends lost their lives."
The Dalai Lama to Make a Speech in Dharmsala
The Dalai Lama scheduled a speech today (Tuesday) marking the 50th anniversary in the Indian hill town of Dharmsala where he is based.
His envoy, Kelsan Gyaltsen, said the situation in Tibet was "very, very distressing.
No comments:
Post a Comment