President Barack Obama is all set to meet Dalai Lama at the White House. The move is likely to infuriate China which considers the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader as a separatist.
"In the morning, the President will meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the White House," said the presidential schedule.
The Tibetan spiritual leader is currently on a visit of the US. The meeting is scheduled to be held in the Map Room of the White House.
"As a revered figure to Tibetans and people around the world, His Holiness reminds us of our great responsibility to act to safeguard human rights, promote equality and protect our environment," said top Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
"Any attempts on the part of the Chinese to dilute the population of Tibetans in Tibet is something that would be just really wrong. Just plain and simple: wrong. Again, a challenge to the conscience," she said.
"If freedom-loving people do not speak out against oppression in Tibet, then we surrender all moral authority to speak on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world," Pelosi said.
Senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin, the chairman and ranking member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that, "At a time when our country is grappling with an increasingly unstable and uncertain world, we are inspired by his universal message, which reflects many of our own deeply-held values."
"As I continue to underscore the importance of protecting and uplifting basic human rights in the foreign policy of the United States as well as in the work of our partners and allies abroad, the Dalai Lama remains a source of inspiration and guidance to me," Cardin said.
"I know that President [Obama] will be receiving His Holiness this week. Presidents have done that over time, which is a source of great pride for us in our country and in the relationship between His Holiness and our presidents," Pelosi said.
Congressman Suzan K Delbene said that, "Sadly, we know that Tibetans have used self-immolations as a protest against the religious and political oversight of the Chinese government. It is difficult to fathom the despair and desperation felt by Tibetans who take this last act of defiance."
"The Chinese government has blamed the Dalai Lama and "foreign forces" for self-immolations instead of looking at how their own policies created such deep grievances," she said.
"The Chinese government also expanded its efforts last year to transform Tibetan Buddhism into a state-managed institution. They sought to undermine the devotion of the Tibetan people to the Dalai Lama and control the process of selecting Buddhist leaders," Delbene said.
Nandini
