REFUSAL OF A VISA TO HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA TO ATTEND A PEACE CONFERENCE IN JOHANNESBURG

Mr De Klerk will reluctantly not participate in the Peace Conference on 27 March and its associated activities if a visa is not granted to enable the Dalai Lama to attend the conference as well. His decision is based on the following considerations:

• He feels honour-bound to respect the invitation that Mr Nelson Mandela, he and Archbishop Tutu sent to the Dalai Lama last November, at the request of the organisers of the peace conference;
• The decision to refuse the visa makes a mockery of the whole purpose of the Peace Conference - which is, among other things, to celebrate South Africa 's peaceful transition to constitutional democracy and to highlight the role that soccer can play in promoting peace;
• the decision to exclude the Dalai Lama is irreconcilable with key principles on which our society is based including the principles of openness and responsiveness and the rights to freedom of expression and free political activity;
• Events such as the 2010 Soccer World Cup - and presumably all activities that are associated with it - require a spirit of universality. They host country should admit anyone with a legitimate and peaceful interest and should not take political decisions on who should, and who should not, attend and participate in such activities;
• South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should, and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country.

Mr De Klerk has taken this decision with the greatest reluctance because he fully supports the 2010 World Cup and the concept and goals of the Peace Conference.  He hopes that there is still time for the Government to reverse its decision. The following is the background to these developments:

On 1 October 2008 President Motlanthe, supported by former presidents Nelson Mandela and F W de Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, invited the Norwegian Peace Committee to "a Peace Conference and the Nelson Mandela Peace challenge match between the national football team of South Africa and Norway ." The programme includes a tour of Soweto on 26 March; the Peace Conference and a gala dinner on 27 March and the soccer match between South Africa and Norway on 28 March.

In November 2008 and at the request of the organisers, Mr Mandela, Mr De Klerk and Archbishop Tutu signed letters of invitation to other Nobel Peace laureates, including the Dalai Lama.

Mr De Klerk was informed last week by the Dalai Lama that the South African High Commissioner in New Delhi had requested him to postpone his forthcoming visit to South Africa .  Mr De Klerk contacted the offices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and of President Motlanthe to express his concern and to urge that a visa should be granted to the Dalai Lama.  Unfortunately there was no response.

Mr De Klerk has been in touch with Archbishop Tutu and identifies himself with the views that he has expressed with regard to the refusal of the South African Government to grant a visa to the Dalai Lama.   

Statement issued by the F.W. de Klerk Foundation, March 23 2009

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