【L.A Times】Dalai Lama tells Taiwan to safeguard its democracy

渔音谦谦

Dalai Lama tells Taiwan to safeguard its democracy
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-dalai-lama1-2009sep01,0,6756101.story

The Tibetan spiritual leader's call appears to contradict assurances thathis trip was solely to comfort victims of Typhoon Morakot. The visithas angered Beijing.


Followers of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who is visible onthe large screens, attend a Buddhist ceremony to pray for survivors andvictims of Typhoon Morakot in southern Taiwan. (Chiang Ying-ying / Associated Press)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Shiaolin,Taiwan - The Dalai Lama exhorted Taiwan to safeguard its democracy,interspersing prayers for the victims of Typhoon Morakot with achallenge to China.

The Tibetan spiritual leader's call Monday appeared to contradictassurances that his five-day visit to comfort the victims of the worststorm to hit the island in 50 years would steer clear of the political-- a concern for President Ma Ying-jeou's administration, which isseeking closer ties with mainland China.

Today, Taiwan'sgoverning party said that China had canceled or postponed severalevents, apparently to show its anger over the Dalai Lama's visit.

TheDalai Lama visited the remote mountain village of Shiaolin on Monday,kneeling on the ground to pray for the hundreds killed when Augusttorrential rains triggered two catastrophic mudslides. He acknowledgedthat Taiwan and China should maintain "their very close and uniquelinks."

But, he said, Taiwan should never lose sight of theimportance of its democratic political system, which stands in markedcontrast to China's one-party dictatorship.

"You enjoydemocracy," he told a crowd of several hundred people amid a landscapeof upended tree trunks. "That must be preserved. No matter whatpolitical party, think common interest and work united."

Thetrip has infuriated Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of itsterritory. It calls the Dalai Lama a "splittist," alleging that heseeks independence for his native Tibet.

Beijing also regularlyuses that sobriquet for advocates of formal independence for Taiwan,which split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949.

TheBuddhist spiritual leader's arrival created a dilemma for Ma, who inhis 15 months in office has halted his predecessor's pro-independencepolicies, reducing tensions with the mainland.

China has not blamed Ma personally for the visit.

                                                                                                                                                    Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times

渔音谦谦

这篇好短。俺自己领走了。。

渔音谦谦

翻译完毕。
http://bbs.m4.cn/thread-193791-1-1.html