Protests Against the Dalai Lama Take Place in Birmingham

Hundreds protested today outside Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center and Kelly Ingram Park, accusing the Dalai Lama of hypocrisy and human rights violations

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, USA, October 25, 2014 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Chants of "False Dalai Lama, stop lying" and "give religious freedom" were so loud as to be heard inside the building as the Dalai Lama spoke.

When asked why she chose to participate in the protests, Jamie Childers, a work-at-home mother in Montgomery, Alabama, stated, "The Dalai Lama has a reputation as a 'man of peace,' but behind the scenes, he persecutes his own people. People need to know he's two-faced. If he really stands for peace, how hard could it be to make a public statement asking his own people to stop discriminating against Dorje Shugden practitioners?"

The protests were organised by the International Shugden Community (ISC). They claim that the Dalai Lama's words and actions have led to widespread discrimination towards the four million practitioners of Dorje Shugden faith, a 400-year-old mainstream Buddhist tradition of which the Dalai Lama himself was once a practitioner (1).

The Tibetan exile government, the CTA, passed a cabinet resolution criminalizing the Shugden faith (2). The CTA then published the names, photographs, and personal information of people who participated in similarly held demonstrations, including that of some Tibetan US residents (3).

Kevin Hawkins of Huntsville, Alabama, a father of two and small business owner said, "I'm here demonstrating because I believe in freedom of religion. In this country, we say everyone can practice whatever religion they choose without being harassed for it. The Dalai Lama obviously doesn't share our American values."

The International Shugden Community (ISC), the California registered umbrella group, said they will continue to demonstrate wherever the Dalai Lama goes until he puts an end to this religious discrimination.

1. Al Jazeera Reports, April 13, 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqa2DeOIEQM
2. Resolution 3, http://tibet.net/2014/03/20/tibetan-parliament-passes-resolution-concerning-dolgyal/
3. Central Tibet Administration, “List of Dolgyal [Dorje Shugden] protestors,” http://tibet.net/dolgyal-shugden/list-of-dolgyal-protestors/

Rachael Jeffrey
International Shugden Community
631-405-8511
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