India cancels Karmapa's Europe visit

New Delhi
7 April 2010

Tibetan leader the Karmapa Lama's first visit to Europe will have to wait as New
Delhi is understood to have withheld its approval. He was scheduled to deliver a series
of teachings and lectures in Scotland and eight other European countries between May
27 and July 2.

The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee is the head of the Karma Kagyu
lineage of the Tibetan Buddhism. He is considered to be one of the most important
Tibetan Lamas after the Dalai Lama.

New Delhi conveyed its decision to the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala last
week, days before External Affairs Minister SM Krishna's official visit to China. Mr
Krishna will conclude his four-day visit to Beijing on Thursday.

According to Ringu Tulku, the coordinator of the Karmapa's visit to Europe, the Indian
Government did not approve the visit. The Kagyu office or the administration of the
Karmapa, was informed of New Delhi's decision by the Tibetan Government in Exile on
April 3.

"The process has begun to find out why this visit was not possible and what positive
conditions are needed to make the visit possible in near future," the message posted by
the coordinator of the Karmapa's visit read.

The 24-year-old Karmapa had escaped across the mountains to India in 2000, when he
was just 14. He made his maiden visit abroad in 2008, after New Delhi gave him
permission to the travel to the US.

The Karmapa's May 15 to June 2, 2008 visit to the US had materialised after several
requests to the Indian Government, which vetoed them in the past.

No comments:

Post a Comment