The Hindu : Front Page : China’s charges make no sense: Pelosi

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China’s charges make no sense: Pelosi

Independent probe sought into allegations that Dalai Lama is behind the violence in Lhasa

Dharamsala: Calling the Chinese action in Tibet a “challenge to the world’s conscience,” Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on Friday urged the international community to denounce the recent crackdown, saying “we can’t talk of human rights if we don’t speak against China.”

Strongly backing the Dalai Lama, the third highest ranking U.S. official also demanded an “independent outside” investigation into Beijing’s allegations that the spiritual leader was behind the violence in Lhasa. She insisted that the international community should know the truth inside Tibet.

Dismissing the Chinese charges as making “no sense,” she told a gathering of thousands of Tibetans, including monks and schoolchildren, that “nothing surprises me about the use of violence on the part of the Chinese government.”

Ms. Pelosi said: “Speaking for myself, I would say if freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China’s oppression in Tibet, we have lost our moral authority to speak on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world.”

Responding to the Chinese allegations on the role of the Dalai Lama in the Tibetan unrest, she said: “We go with an added mission to call upon the international community to have an independent, outside investigation ... that His Holiness is the instigator of violence in Tibet.”

“This investigation is to make sure there is no association between His Holiness and the violence in Tibet,” said Ms. Pelosi, one of the fiercest Congressional critics of China, after a luncheon meeting hosted by the Dalai Lama. She was the first major foreign official to meet the Dalai Lama since the recent violence.

Ms. Pelosi, who is leading a nine-member bi-partisan Congressional delegation, earlier received a rousing public reception at the main Buddha temple here.

“We are with you”

She told the Dalai Lama: “We are with you to meet that challenge. We are with you in this challenge,” she said to a loud applause from a crowd waving Tibetan, Indian and U.S. flags.

Ms. Pelosi was instrumental in last year’s U.S. decision to confer the Congressional Medal, a top U.S. civilian honour, on the Dalai Lama.

“Today, we are here at this sad time together in shedding the bright light of truth on what is happening inside Tibet,” she said, adding “perhaps it is our karma, our fate, to be with you at such a sad time. It is our karma, we know, to help the people of Tibet.”

Hundreds of people lined the roads to the Dalai Lama’s residence, some with signs saying, “Thank you for your support” and “Long live America-Tibet friendship.”

On arrival, Ms. Pelosi was greeted warmly by the Dalai Lama, who draped a scarf around her neck. — PTI

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