Johannesburg - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe must rectify the injustice around the Dalai Lama visa debacle and ensure that he is granted permission to travel to South Africa, the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre said on Wednesday.
"We feel a grave injustice has been done in the manner in which the matter has been handled," said chairperson Dumisa Ntsebeza in an open letter to Motlanthe.
"We appeal to you to rectify the injustice and ensure that his holiness is granted a visa by tomorrow morning [Thursday]."
Newspaper reports quoted Motlanthe on Wednesday saying the government was planning to grant the Dalai Lama a visa.
The Star newspaper said it had asked Motlanthe if the government would have granted the Tibetan spiritual leader a visa if he had not cancelled his trip to attend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday celebrations at the weekend.
Motlanthe replied, according to The Star: "Of course, he has been here before. I don't see why it should be an issue at all."
Motlanthe, who recently concluded a trip to China, denied that there had been pressure from Beijing not to grant the Dalai Lama the visa.
China
It is widely believed the government had buckled under pressure from China - its biggest trading partner - which deems the Tibetan spiritual leader a separatist and discourages foreign leaders from hosting him.
In light of Motlanthe's comments, Ntsebeza said the foundation had requested the Dalai Lama to consider travelling to South Africa after all.
"We requested the office of Tibet in Pretoria today [Wednesday] to communicate with him to convey our apologies and embarrassment for the disrespect shown, and to ask if he would consider travelling tomorrow [Thursday] or Friday - even if it means arriving too late."
The Dalai Lama was due to deliver the inaugural Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture at the University of the Western Cape on Saturday. He also has engagements in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
All of this was contingent on the visa being granted by the South African High Commission in New Delhi, said Ntsebeza.
In the letter, Ntsebeza pleaded with Motlanthe to announce unequivocally to the nation that a visa would be granted immediately.
He said the apparent dithering over his visa application showed tremendous disrespect to two of the world's greatest spiritual leaders.
