(TibetanReview.net, Jun29, 2016) – China has attacked Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and American pop singer and actress Lady gaga after the two met in the US city of Indianapolis on Jun 26 and discussed “the power of kindness and how to make the world a more compassionate place”. The two did not discuss anything remotely political, but China insisted the Dalai Lama was only promoting an agenda of Tibetan independence and Lady Gaga had, in its view, ignored this “true colors and nature” of the Tibetan leader and thereby earned its enmity.
On the Dalai Lama, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Jun 27, “The purpose of his visits and activities in other countries is just to promote his proposal for Tibetan independence.”
The Dalai Lama only seeks substantive autonomy, not autonomy in name only as at present, for his Chinese ruled homeland and has proposed a middle way solution for this purpose.
Before speaking at an annual conference in Indianapolis of American mayors, the Dalai Lama met with Lady Gaga who interviewed him in an exchange streamed live over Facebook. The two also took part in a panel discussion with the participation also of entrepreneur and philanthropist Philip Anschutz on the same topic.
But asked about the meeting between the two, Hong was quoted by the AP Jun 27 as saying, “We hope that people from the international community can be fully aware of his true colors and nature.” Hong has insisted that those who meet the Tibetan leader should be aware of his motives and intentions, which he has described as nefarious.
And China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television has echoed Hong’s sentiments with an official ban on Jun 27, saying: “We need to fight against any propaganda fanning the flames of Tibet independence movement.” It issued a issued a directive banning Lady Gaga in all forms of media, including television channels, radio stations, and music download websites, reported asiancorrespondent.com Jun 28, citing local media.
Lady Gaga, who posted several photos of the meeting on her social media accounts, including Instagram, joins a long list of actors, singers, and other public figures for their involvement with the exiled Tibetan spiritual and other leaders in some way. Last year, China reportedly cancelled planned concerts in Beijing and Shanghai by the band Bon Jovi after it emerged the group had used the Dalai Lama’s photograph in the background at a show in Taiwan five years ago.
Also, Maroon 5 could not perform in China last year because a band member had attended a celebration marking the Dalai Lama‘s birthday. And the British group Oasis’s Noel Gallagher, who had performed at a Free Tibet concert in New York, and Linkin Park, and was therefore banned.