After Suu Kyi, Dalai Lama hopes for Chinese dissident’s freedom

DHARAMSALA - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Monday welcomed the release of Myanmarese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and hoped China too would free fellow Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo and “other prisoners of conscience”.

Suu Kyi, 65, was released Saturday evening after completing over seven years of house arrest. She has spent 15 of the past 20 years under arrest.

“I welcome the release of fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and extend my appreciation to the military regime in Myanmar. I extend my full support and solidarity to the movement for democracy in Burma and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements,” the Dalai Lama, who himself is a Nobel Peace laureate, said in a message from Japan.

“I pray and hope that the government of the Peoples Republic of China will release fellow Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo and other prisoners of conscience who have been imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression, said the Dalai Lama, 75, who is currently touring Japan.

The Dalai Lama and his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge in India when Chinese troops moved in and took control of Lhasa in 1959. He has since headed the Tibetan government-in-exile from here.

The Tibetan parliament-in-exile here has also welcomed the release of Suu Kyi, saying her “indomitable spirit will inspire millions who aspire for freedom and democracy”.

“We call on the Burmese military junta to release all other political prisoners, including Min Ko Naing, U. Gambira and U. Khun Htun Oo,” it said in a statement Monday.