Chinese authorities barred the Dalai Lama, Tibet's Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist leader, from attending last week's Buddhist Forum, while human rights groups criticised the gathering for failing to address spiritual repression in China.
The World Buddhist Forum, which opened April 13 in the southeast city of Hangzhou, was the first international religious gathering in the officially atheist Communist China. It has attracted Buddhists from more than 30 countries, including Taiwan, South Korean and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, international human rights groups denounced the five-day forum as a "cynical propaganda" stunt aimed at misleading the public over religious tolerance in China.
Despite Dalai Lama's world-wide recognition, officials said the participation of the exiled spiritual leader would have compromised the event, with the China Religious Culture Communication Association stating: "If he [the Dalai Lama] appears at the forum, he will surely pose a really disharmonious note."
The Dalai Lama has lived in India since 1959 when he fled his homeland after an abortive uprising. He has often spoken out against the persecution of Tibetan minorities and religious repression.
Amongst Dalai Lama's devout followers is the Hollywood star Richard Gere, who is also the chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet.
Politically motivated event
The rare appearance of 16-year-old Gyaltsen Norbu, China's disputed choice for second highest leader, the Panchen Lama, triggered criticism from the international community.
"It's shameful that Beijing has scripted Gyaltsen Norbu ... with statements that are clearly untrue about religious freedom in China," Mary-Beth Markey, head of the International Campaign for Tibet, was quoted as saying in a news release.
Norbu was appointed as the 11th Pachen Lama in 1995 by the Chinese government, after Dalai Lama's chosen candidate was rejected. The boy, who was only six at the time, is believed to be under house arrest. International human rights watchdogs call him the world's youngest political prisoner.
Religious oppression
Despite China's efforts to airbrush the religious freedoms, the reality still remains thorny. While five religions are officially recognised – Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism and Catholicism – these can exist only under the control of the authorities.
Out of the 6,000 Buddhist monasteries that were destroyed under the communist regime since its 1949 invasion of Tibet, only a few hundred have been rebuilt. Amnesty International has also reported hundreds of cases of torture and abuse of Buddhist monks, nuns and other persecuted minorities.
According to a recent survey conducted by Forum 18, an independent Norwegian news service that prides itself on objective reporting and promoting religious freedom of all faiths, the Chinese government blocks access to Internet sites related to the Dalai Lama, Falun Gong, certain branches of Islam, Protestant house churches, and major Protestant and Catholic organizations, including the Vatican.
Furthermore, Catholicism in China exists in the form of the Patriotic Catholic Church of China, which is not united with Rome and its Bishops are chosen by Beijing and not by the Pope. Members of the Roman Catholic Church in China are heavily persecuted.
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