Myanmar Monk Courts Dalai Lama

[Nada Jung]

 

December 14, 2011

By Celine Fernandez

 

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama gestures as he laughs during an event at a school in New Delhi, India.

 

 

In one of the latest signs of increasing political openness in Myanmar– and an increasing willingness to defy the wishes of China – one of the country’s most influential Buddhist monks is attempting to bring the Dalai Lama to the Southeast Asian nation.

 

Reverend Ashin Nyanissara, abbot of the Sitagu Monastery near Mandalay, said that the Dalai Lama wants to visit Myanmar for the first time. The Southeast Asian nation is 80% Buddhist, though it doesn’t practice the same form of Buddhism as the famous Tibetan exile.

 

The Myanmar abbot has approached the government for permission and hopes to get approval as early as next year. “Step by step, I will plan it,” he told the Wall Street Journal.

 

The odds of gaining a visa for the Dalai Lama, who is widely regarded as the spiritual leader of Tibet, are slim, experts say. China has long objected to the Dalai Lama’s overseas visits because of the publicity it brings to global campaigns for Tibetan independence.

 

In October, the Dalai Lama canceled plans to visit South Africa after not receiving a response for a visa request to that country, which has sought closer trade ties with China. Myanmar, meanwhile, relies heavily on Chinese investment and diplomatic support, and likely would not want to pick a fight with Beijing over the issue.

 

That hasn’t deterred the Dalai Lama’s fans in Myanmar, though. The plan to bring him to the country started to form last month, when the Dalai Lama told Ashin Nyanissara that he wanted to visit Myanmar as they both attended the Buddhist Global Congregation in New Delhi, according to the abbot.

 

“His Holiness said he would be more than happy to make a pilgrimage to Myanmar in the future if it is possible,” said Mr. Tenzin Taklha, joint secretary at the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”It depends on the government [of Myanmar.”

 

Mr. Taklha added that it is often difficult for the Dalai Lama to visit certain countries because of pressure from “the big neighbor in Asia”.

 

If Myanmar can host the World Buddhist Summit in the coming years, Ashin Nyanissara is guessing the government would have to allow the Dalai Lama to attend because of rising expectations that it is opening up to the outside world after a series of recent reforms. The Dalai Lama did not attend the last time Myanmar hosted the summit in 2004.

 

“As a religious leader in Myanmar, I have the right to invite all Buddhist religious leaders around the world,” he said. “I must invite His Holiness.”

 

The Reverend Ashin Nyanissara hopes the Dalai Lama will be able to visit Yangon’s famous golden Shwedagon Pagoda as early next year.

 

“I don’t know how the government may feel on this matter,” said Ko Ko Hlaing, an advisor to the Myanmar’s president, who said he could only give his own views, not the government line. “But in my personal opinion, there is only a (small) chance he could visit the Shwedagon Pagoda. As you know, China is quite sensitive on issues involving the Dalai Lama. It is no problem from religious aspect, but very controversial from political point of view.” A Myanmar government spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

 

The 74-year-old abbot said he would rather China not be part of the decision.

 

“I must talk to the Myanmar government only. It’s not necessary for me to talk to Chinese government,” he said. “If Myanmar’s government is going to discuss this with the Chinese Communist government …. It will be a long procedure.”