Costa Rica President Asks Dalai Lama to Delay Trip

The Dalai Lama’s Last Visit to Costa Rica was in 2004, four years ago.

The Dalai Lama, a renowned spiritual and political leader, had planned to Visit Costa Rica on September 10. After receiving a personal letter from the country’s president, Óscar Arias, however, the Tibetan leader has decided to postpone his trip for 2009. This change of plans has left many frustrated, upset, and angry with Arias, questioning the president’s motives.

The first Dalai Lama, Gendun Drup, was born in 1391. Two hundred years later, after many years of Dalai Lama rule and guidance, Gushri Khan, the fifth Dalai Lama, unified Tibet. The Dalai Lama line continued to rule Tibet as an independent kingdom until 1949, when the People’s Republic of China invaded the region and seized control, securing its total power by 1959. As a result, the 14th Dalai Lama, who still holds his position, fled Tibet to set up a government-in-exile in India. The 14th Dalai Lama has been very vocal about seeking greater autonomy for Tibet. Among the debatable issues are when Tibet became a part of China, and whether international law allows for Tibet’s forced integration into China.

Fast-forward 50 years into the future, when Nobel Peace Prize-winning Costa Rican president Oscar Arias surprises many by announcing formal, diplomatic ties to China. “For Costa Rica, this is an act of foreign policy realism which promotes our links to Asia. It is my responsibility to recognize a global player as important as the People’s Republic of China. With this decision, we join 178 nations in the United Nations that have recognized the People’s Republic of China,” Arias explained, shortly after his decision was announced in June 2008.

Before this announcement, Costa Rica had held close ties to Taiwan, or the Republic of China. Since 1941, Taiwan had helped Costa Rica in many ways, offering money and funding for several national projects including the well-trafficked Amistad Bridge connecting the mainland to the Nicoya Peninsula. However, with this announcement, Costa Rica effectively cut ties to the country, stating “The Costa Rican government recognizes that there is only one China in the world, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole China. Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.” Less than a week later, Taiwan cut diplomatic ties with Costa Rica.

With less than 3 months of diplomatic relations, it’s easy to see why some have questioned Arias’s petition to the Dalai Lama to delay his plans to visit Costa Rica. Many believe that the Chinese president’s upcoming political visit is the prime motivator for Arias’s request, if the Costa Rican president does not wish to cause tension. For his part, Arias has admitted to his request to the Dalai Lama, but claims there to be no political motivation. “I will be taking an official trip to several European countries and I’m sorry that I won’t be in the country to receive you. Because I would be very disappointed to miss your visit, and for the meeting I hope to host in 2009 (with several Nobel prize winners), I write to you to ask you to postpone your trip,” Arias wrote to the Dalai Lama.

Despite his explanation, the spiritual leader had been invited to Costa Rica by the Tibetan-Costa Rican Cultural Association for religious and spiritual purposes. His visit was unnofficial. “There is no rational explanation. It was not an official invitation. His Holiness visits innumerable countries in Europe and southeast Asia without a presidential greeting. This has nothing to do with the government,” Maritza Pacheco, president of the association, said. “It’s difficult to understand what an event in 2009 has to do with a private visit for spiritual and cultural purposes [now]. Why does this plan have to be exclusive?”

Share and Enjoy: