Dalai Lama warns Tibetan culture is ‘dying,’ ahead of meeting with Harper.

By Jeff Davis and Peter Henderson

Postmedia News

OTTAWA — The Dalai Lama told a small crowd of Canadian politicians Friday that his native Tibet is at risk of cultural extinction.

“In our own area, there are tremendous difficulties,” he said. “The situation locally is one ancient nation, with very rich ancient cultural heritage, is actually dying.”

The spiritual leader of the Tibetan diaspora spoke at a meeting in Ottawa attended by members of the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet, an all-party group, before his official visit with Prime Minster Stephen Harper on Friday afternoon.

The Dalai Lama said that, although events around the world have shown the power of democracy and the will to self-determination, Tibet is still at risk.

NDP leader Thomas Mulcair was in the audience, as was Conservative MP Rob Anders and Conservative Sen. Consiglio Di Nino.

They were joined by parliamentarians from Western Europe and other countries, as well as key figures from Tibet’s government-in-exile.

Hollywood star Richard Gere, a longtime activist on Tibet, also spoke at the event.

He commended Canada’s immigration policies but warned against backsliding.

“I see there is a slight pulling back, shall I call it that maybe, of the kind of support Tibetans have felt (from) Canada, and I would hate to see that happen,” he said.

The Chinese government has ruled Tibet for 60 years, but the Dalai Lama has waged an unwavering campaign for Tibetan autonomy.

Gere criticized Harper for holding his meeting with the Dalai Lama behind closed doors.

“The positive thing is he (will) meet him,” said Gere. “The less positive thing is that it (will not) be public.”

A spokesman for Harper said the prime minister would hold a “private courtesy meeting” with the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The confirmation followed vague comments from Harper and his office earlier this week as to whether a meeting would take place.

Nima Dorjee, a national member of the Canada Tibet Committee, had said this week he suspected the federal government was under pressure from China to distance itself from the Dalai Lama.

In 2006, the federal Conservative government angered the Communist regime by awarding the exiled spiritual leader honorary Canadian citizenship.

When Harper and the Dalai Lama met in 2007, the Chinese Embassy warned Canada to “stop interfering with China’s internal affairs.”

Two years later, Harper chose not to meet with the Nobel Peace Prize winner while he was visiting Canada. Later that year, the prime minister received an invitation to Beijing.

Gere warned the Harper government on Friday not to abandon its commitment to the Dalai Lama in pursuit of China’s growing wealth.

“Change will come to China; the only question is when,” he said. “If you want to sell the food, machines, even oil and gas — this isn’t an issue, but they don’t own your thoughts, your moral backbone.”

The Dalai Lama will deliver a talk called Ethics for a Whole World on Saturday morning at an Ottawa arena.

jdavis@postmedia.com

PN 4/27/12 14:33:52