In a stirring address marking his 79th birthday, the Dalai Lama has called on Buddhists in Myanmar and Sri Lanka to end violence against Muslim minorities, urging compassion and restraint in the face of rising sectarian tensions.

 

Speaking to tens of thousands gathered in Ladakh, northern India—including actor Richard Gere—the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader denounced attacks on Muslims in Buddhist-majority nations as “unacceptable.” He implored followers to reflect on the image of Buddha before committing acts of violence, reminding them that “Buddha preaches love and compassion.”

 

His comments come amid ongoing unrest in Myanmar, where inter-communal violence since 2012 has claimed over 250 lives, mostly among Muslim communities. Despite international praise for Myanmar’s political reforms, the country continues to grapple with deep-rooted religious divisions. In Sri Lanka, similar tensions flared last month, leaving four dead and hundreds of homes and businesses damaged in the worst religious clashes in decades.

 

The Dalai Lama’s appeal was not limited to Buddhist-majority nations. He also expressed dismay at the surge in intra-Muslim violence, referencing deadly attacks by Sunni militants without naming specific countries.

 

The speech coincided with the Kalachakra ceremony, a major Buddhist empowerment ritual, drawing thousands of devotees to the Himalayan town of Leh. Though the Dalai Lama stepped back from political leadership in 2011, he remains the symbolic heart of the Tibetan movement, advocating “meaningful autonomy” within China—a stance Beijing continues to reject, branding him a “splittist.”

 

His birthday celebration, marked by spiritual teachings and calls for peace, served as a poignant reminder of his enduring influence—not only among Tibetans, but across religious and national boundaries.

 

 

-2025-11-06

On 11/6/2025 at 9:34 AM, geovalin said:

Despite international praise for Myanmar’s political reforms,

 What political reforms?

Burma is run by a genocidal dictatorial Junta backed by the aggressive military Tatmadaw

Al Jazeera has just released a hard-hitting documentary on the latest fighting in Myanmar.  Watch it here: