Botswana president Ian Khama distances himself from Dalai Lama visit

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Botswana president Ian Khama distances himself from Dalai Lama visit

4:24 CAT | 12 Jul 2017

Flickr / Christopher Michel / The Dalai Lama

President Ian Khama’s office has distanced him from a planned visit by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, according to state broadcaster Btv on Tuesday.Khama’s office claimed that local and international media reports that the president would official open an event dubbed ‘Ubuntu’ where the Dalai Lama is expected to be a guest speaker are untrue and therefore misleading.

According to the Botswana state broadcaster the Dalai Lama’s trip won’t be recognised as an official visit by Gaborone while he is in the country.

In a rare visit to Africa, the Dalai Lama is set for a three –day sojourn in Botswana in August at the invitation of a non-profit group called Mind and Dialogue in Botswana.

South Africa had previously denied the Dalai Lama visa for fear angering China which hold Tibet to be part of its sovereign territory.

The Dalai Lama seeks autonomy for Tibet but the Chinese government insists it is already autonomous and accuses him of seeking independence.

Source: APA