Dalai Lama: Praying for a travel visa

Not since he tried to get a South African visa has the Dalai Lama encountered such a furore.

The Tibetan spiritual leader is facing fresh opposition from China as he tries to secure a visitor visa for Taiwan. He is looking to make the trip to comfort survivors of typhoon Morakot which killed around 650 victims earlier this month.

In March this year, the Dalai Lama’s move to South Africa to attend a World Cup conference in Johannesburg was banned by the government. It was thought the ruling was in support of China’s opposition to him being in attendance. The decision forced archbishop Desmond Tutu to pull out of the meeting in protest and Nelson Mandela to join in the uproar.

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has just approved the visit to Taiwan so it looks like the Tibetan will get his visa after all. He wasn’t able to get through South African immigration with such luck.

China correspondent Peter Foster from the Daily Telegraph wrote how “ fascinating” it would be to  to see “how far China is prepared to punish Taiwan”  over the decision.  How “fascinating” is China’s woeful record on political bullying and shocking human rights to the average Telegraph hack, I wonder?

For a man who spreads a lot of peace around the world, the Dalai Lama seems to encounter a lot of trouble securing a visa. Maybe it’s time he used a reputable travel visa consultancy?!