On 12 May Gordon Brown’s office has announced that the Prime Minister will meet the Dalai Lama at Lambeth Palace on 23 May along with other British religious leaders. This decision is entirely inappropriate.

Given the current appalling situation in Tibet, now is the time to acknowledge the Dalai Lama as the accepted leader of the Tibetan people and the key to ending this decades-long tragedy.

TAKE ACTION!

Write to Prime Minister Gordon Brown urging him to send a strong message to both the British and Tibetan people that the UK government is serious about wanting to see a peaceful, negotiated settlement. Tell him he must change the location of the meeting to Downing Street immediately.

Address:

Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP

10 Downing Street

London SW1A 2AA

Fax: 020 7925 0918

Or send an e-mail to the Downing Street site

You can use this sample letter:

I am dismayed by your decision to meet the Dalai Lama at Lambeth Palace and not Downing Street, where Prime Minister John Major and Prime Minister Tony Blair met the Dalai Lama in previous years.

As you will be aware, last year Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama in her office, Prime Minister Stephen Harper met the Dalai Lama in his office and President George Bush presented the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is only fitting that the UK Prime Minister should accord the same level of courtesy.

Given the prevailing situation in Tibet - hundreds of deaths, thousands of arrests of peaceful protesters, the media blackout and the refusal of the Chinese government to allow independent observers into Tibet to investigate stories of torture, intimidation and deprivation - surely now is the time to acknowledge the Dalai Lama as the key to ending this decades-long tragedy?

Prime Minister, you will be the first world leader to meet the Dalai Lama since the current unrest began in Tibet and Tibetan regions of China. It is crucial at this time that the Dalai Lama is recognised for what he is: the legitimate symbol of the Tibetan people’s struggle for self-determination.

Meeting the Dalai Lama at Lambeth Palace sends the message to both the British and Tibetan people that the UK government is not serious about its claims to want to see a peaceful, negotiated settlement.

I therefore urge you to immediately rectify your decision and meet the Dalai Lama at Downing Street.