Dalai Lama Free to Visit South Africa

"The Dalai Lama is more than free, like any other citizen of the globe, who would want to visit our country," Nkoana-Mashabane said. Photo by BGNES

South Africa's government has claimed that Tibet's spiritual leader can now visit the country whenever he wanted.

This was announced Friday by the new International Relations Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, as cited by the BBC.

The government caused an international outcry when it said it would not allow him to attend a peace conference in March, linked to the 2010 Football World Cup.

The visa ban prompted Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former South African President FW de Klerk to pull out of the conference for Nobel laureates, forcing organisers to postpone it indefinitely.

Despite the furor at the time, government spokesman Thabo Masebe said no visa would be issued "between now and the World Cup", which South Africa is hosting. The government said his presence would distract attention from the World Cup - the first to be held in Africa.

"The Dalai Lama is more than free, like any other citizen of the globe, who would want to visit our country," Nkoana-Mashabane said.

 

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