Monastic silence over Chinese car firm

NEITHER Tenzin Gyatso nor the Culture Company will say if his visit to the city wasn’t listed as a Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013 event due to the body’s sponsorship by a major Chinese car maker.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 11th May 2013, 13:39 BST
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama in Londonderry last month.Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama in Londonderry last month.
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama in Londonderry last month.

Mr Gyatso, who since 1959 has been on the run in India following a rebellion in the Chinese Autonomous Region of Tibet, visited Londonderry on April 18.

During his visit, the 14th Dalai Lama - exiled in Dharamsala and regarded by many as the leader of Tibet but by China as the leader of an illegal clique - described Beijing as a guest arrived without proper invitation and armed with a gun.

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But Mr Gyatso’s high profile visit was not listed as an official event on the culture programme. The Culture Company didn’t issue any official statement with regard to the visit. The Sentinel asked Mr Gyatso’s office if he had refused to endorse Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013 due to it being sponsored by the Great Wall Motor Company of China.

The paper also asked the Londonderry Culture Company why the visit to the city on April 18 was not included in the UK City of Culture 2013 official schedule. Neither responded.

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