The Dalai Lama brings out the devil inside him

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama on Saturday slammed censorship in China as "immoral" and poked fun at denunciations of himself in a video chat with Desmond Tutu after he was not granted a visa in time to travel to South Africa. The Tibetan spiritual leader's absence was symbolised by an empty chair at the event at the University of the Western Cape where he was meant to deliver an inaugural peace lecture to wrap Tutu's 80th birthday celebrations.
"Some Chinese officials describe me as a demon so naturally some fear about the demon," the Dalai Lama told Tutu via a laughter-filled live video link when asked why the Chinese feared him. "I feel like laughing, so I immediately respond yes I have horn," he added, miming horns on his head with his fingers.
The Dalai Lama said hypocrisy had unfortunately become part of life in "the communist totalitarian system" and people who spoke truthfully and honestly sparked discomfort. "I often tell him (Tutu) 1.3 billion Chinese people should have every right to know ... reality, then 1.3 billion Chinese people also have the ability to judge what's right, what wrong, so therefore censorship is immoral."
China clearly had the potential to take "a constructive role" in the world, he said. "Respect, trust from the rest of the world is very necessary. For that reason, transparency is very essential," he added. The discussion between the two Nobel Peace Prize laureates who are close friends was filled with banter, after a last ditch attempt by Tutu's office urging the government to grant the Dalai Lama a visa failed.
"As a man of truth, man of God, please live long," the Dalai Lama told Tutu. "Your 90th birthday, I'm looking forward. At that time, don't forget send me (an) invitation. Then we can test your government."