【ABC】University cancels Dalai Lama's degree

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University cancels Dalai Lama's degree
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/11/2652886.htm?section=justin


Posted 4 hours 7 minutes ago


Offer withdrawn: The Dalai Lama will no longer be receiving an honorary doctorate (ABC)


Australian Greens leader Bob Brown has questionedwhether the Dalai Lama has been denied an Australian university honourbecause of Chinese pressure.
The Tibetan spiritual leader met the vice-chancellor of the University of Tasmania during an Australian tour in 2007.

He was to be offered an honorary doctorate when he visited Tasmaniain December this year but that offer has since been withdrawn.

The University of Tasmania collects $30 million a year from Chinesestudents and Senator Brown is questioning whether the Dalai Lama'sfight for Tibetan independence affected the decision.

"It's up to the university to say why the offer of an honorary degree has been withdrawn, if it has," he said.

"And who put pressure on them? Were they the recipient of messages or delegations from China? And if so, what was discussed?

"In other words, was there an element of blackmail involved? We all have a right to know."

The University of Tasmania says the issue was raised in a meetingwith Chinese officials but it had already decided to withdraw its offerto the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama's fight for Tibetan independence has pitted him squarely against the Chinese Government.