Dalai Dilemma: Khama unmoved after two-hour plea

Staff Writer | Tuesday July 25, 2017 18:05

 

International Affairs and Cooperation minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said Chinese officials had also held one-on-one meetings with Members of Parliament and traditional leaders, including Bangwato regent, Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane in Serowe. 

Local Chinese officials and their superiors in Beijing are scrambling to stop Botswana from opening its doors to the Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader from the Tibet region of China. 

China says the Dalai Lama is a separatist leader who has led an often-violent campaign over the decades to breakaway from China.

Beijing has in the past ostracised countries that have welcomed the Dalai Lama, cutting off trade and aid ties, as part of enforcing its “One-China” policy. 

“As government, we have met with the Chinese who have registered their displeasure, but we are failing to understand what their issue is,” Venson-Moitoi said, in response to a question from Selebi Phikwe West MP, Dithapelo Keorapetse.

“Our view is that he is a man of peace and we have done our security checks through Interpol. He does not pose any threat.

“Our immigration laws, as supported by our citizens, allow for anyone who does not pose a threat to come in. This country belongs to Batswana and we are not going to allow favours from other countries to dictate who comes here and who does not.

“Ga re ye go rekisa lehatshe la rona ka dikobo tsa Machaena.

“Even in my constituency, there are houses built by the Chinese community, but I will not allow that to influence this position.” 

The minister said China should not infringe on Botswana’s affairs by seeking to dictate who should be granted a visa and who should not be, in the same manner that Botswana respected China’s demands for non-interference in its affairs. 

Venson-Moitoi said China’s strategy of attempting to sway government’s position had even gone to the extent of sponsoring local media on a charm offensive to China recently. 

“I would also to ask the MP, Keorapetse, whose interests he is serving? The questions he is posing have been fielded by Chinese diplomats. The MP was also on the sponsored trip whose purpose was to influence the position of the media, as agenda-setters,” Venson-Moitoi charged.

Top Chinese officials have said Botswana runs the risk of being blacklisted by the Oriental giant, should the Dalai Lama arrive as planned for a three-day conference next month.