China urged to change attitude towards Dalai Lama

Tutu urges China to change attitude about the Dalai Lama

Archbishop Desmond Tutu says China must stop vilifying the Tibetan spiritual leader - the Dalai Lama. Tutu says he stands in solidarity with the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet as they defined non-violence, compassion and goodness.

He has urged China to enter into a substantive and meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Since early this year, Tibetans in central Asia have staged protests targeting the Olympic games to be held in China later in the year.

Tibetans are demanding independence
They are demanding independence and recognition of Tibet as an independent state. Tutu says the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, should visit Tibet and report to the international community.

Meanwhile Chinese police have arrested five Tibetans allegedly involved in deadly arson attacks in Lhasa as calls to boycott the Olympic opening ceremony grow. China claims Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is trying to wreck the Olympic Games by inciting violence.

He rejects the accusations but the countdown to the Games is unlikely to be smooth. At the weekend there were protests as the Olympic flame started its journey around the world. And there's also talk in the European Parliament of possibly boycotting the opening ceremony.