Tutu slams S. Africa over Dalai Lama visa row

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said yesterday his government was worse than the apartheid regime for dithering over a visa for the Dalai Lama, who cancelled a trip to South Africa over the row.

The anti-apartheid crusader had invited his long-time friend and fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner to give an inaugural peace lecture as part of Archbishop Tutu’s 80th birthday celebrations in Cape Town this week.

But the Dalai Lama’s office said the exiled Tibet spiritual leader, who was due to have left for South Africa, decided to cancel the trip because he had yet to receive a visa.

In response, Archbishop Tutu called a nationally televised news conference and lambasted President Jacob Zuma, warning he would pray for the downfall of the ruling African National Congress like he did for the white minority regime.

“When we used to apply for passports from the apartheid government, we never knew until the last moment what the decision was,” Archbishop Tutu said.

“Our government is worse than the apartheid government, because at least you were expecting it with the apartheid government,” he added.

“Our government, we were expecting that now we would have a government that was sensitive to the sentiments of our Constitution.”

Archbishop Tutu said South Africans, who had enjoyed international backing in their struggle against the apartheid regime, should be on the side of other oppressed peoples.