Dhalla prays for Tibet

Dr Homi Dhalla, founder of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foundation participated in "Tibet needs you,” a candlelight vigil for human rights at the Azad Maidan on April 10, 2008. He also spoke at events organized by the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in Bombay, elaborating on various aspects of the Tibetan issue at an interfaith prayer meeting at a large playground at Prabhadevi where about 3,000 people had gathered on April 11, as stated in a write-up e-mailed to Parsiana. Dhalla dwelt on various steps that the interfaith movement should take to promote peace and human rights in the context of the Tibetan imbroglio.

Dr Homi Dhalla: promoting peace

The write-up informs that when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 a prominent Indian leader, Jayaprakash Narayan said, "Tibet will not die because there is no death for the human spirit…Tibet will be resurrected.” This has indeed come true, at least temporarily, with the spotlight falling on a simple monk who is the advocate of world peace and harmony — the Dalai Lama. Despite the Chinese calling him a "splittist,” "criminal,” and "monster with a human face,” the Dalai Lama remains the embodiment of benevolence and compassion whom India’s Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh recently described as the "greatest living Gandhian.”

Over the years the Nobel Peace Laureate has been honored by several countries. On October 17, 2007, the US Congress presented the Dalai Lama with the congressional gold medal, the highest civilian award conferred by US lawmakers. When he was invited to Seattle for a five-day conference on "compassion” in April 2008, 50,000 people packed a stadium to hear him speak on non-violence. He urged China to allow the media and all people free access into Tibet so that they would know exactly what is going on, as Beijing is manipulating information and its people, the write-up reveals. The Dalai Lama emphasized that "Tibet belongs to the Tibetans and its future lies with its people.” Unfortunately, it has been "ruled by terror” and there was a process of "cultural genocide.”

On April 17, 2008 when the Olympic torch passed through New Delhi, Tibetans protested in large numbers. The city was turned into a fortress with thousands of security men stationed to keep the peace. An interfaith prayer meeting was held at Rajghat where Dhalla recited Zoroastrian prayers after which he participated in a peace march with representatives of various other communities.