China campaigning for Dalai Lama's vilification: Tibetan Parliament-in-exile

Dharamsala, April 14 (IANS) Stating that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), especially the Dalai Lama, have been uninterrupted targets of vilification, the democratically-elected Tibetan Parliament-in-exile said on Friday that the recently-surfaced video was the very proof that "its a campaign that the Chinese government has kept on pursuing at all times".

The Dalai Lama recently courted controversy over a video in which the spiritual leader kisses a child on the lips and then asks him to "suck my tongue". The Dalai Lama later apologised to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his action may have caused.

"His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident," an official statement quoting the Dalai Lama said.

"It is a campaign that the Chinese government has kept on pursuing at all times, and in every possible manner, both domestically and internationally, employing various sorts of media, private individuals and so forth," the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile said in a statement on Friday.

"Its vile policy objective continues to attempt to destroy or otherwise degrade the Tibetan society. There is, of course, no way the Chinese government can mislead people in the international community with a sense of discernment and integrity.

"However, on occasions, when the Chinese government did manage to mislead a few people with their disingenuously false information, people with a sense of integrity, both within and outside the community, as well as organisations, have continued to provide timely clarifications, for which we offer our compliments.

"We see it as important to emphasise that whenever such incidents occur, all should, instead of going astray by following misinformation, pay close attention to all aspects of the issue -- outward, inner, as well as hidden -- with care, caution and steadiness of purpose to be able to counter them effectively," it said.

"We have been deeply hurt and saddened by the misinterpretation being currently given to an incident in a recent event with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where without proper research, irresponsible and careless sort of explanations and comments were being given to it in the media.

"There is, of course, no need to mention the fact that the activities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are objects of great interest and delight for many hundreds of millions of people from across the world.

"His Holiness has very graciously acceded to pleas to live a long life for the happiness and wellbeing of sentient beings as well as for the sake of the Buddha dharma.

"In keeping with this noble promise, we ardently pray with utmost devotion that His Holiness the Dalai Lama continues to adhere to this commitment to keep carrying out his noble deeds on the basis of living a long life," the statement said.