Hello everyone, sorry to write twice to some of you today.

As you may be aware, Helen Clark thinks its OK not to meet with HH Dalai Lama while he is here in NZ next week. Thats a bit embarrassing really.

Anyway my husband and I feel really strongly about this and below is part of a letter we have written to her. We hope that you might take the time to also send a quick email to her if you could before Tuesday.

I know its annoying... sorry about that. Maybe you could cut and paste and rearrange or somthing if you don't have much time. We sent the same one to Winston Peteres too and just changed the names.

I am sucking up to her in the letter - don't hate me for it. The last paragraph especially is not really what I think, but well I just want her to met with HH DL. The Aussys protested there and by the afternoon a decision was made to meet with him. I know shes a stubborn woman, but we have to try.

Thanks for your help, forward on as appropriate

Maia

Open Letter To PM Helen Clark

URGENT - Visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to NZ

Dear Ms Clark,

I am writing to you regarding the visit of His Holiness the Dali Lama to New Zealand next week. It is great that you were able to organise a brief meeting with him in Australia, however I wanted to express to you that as the Prime Minister of New Zealand and a representative of the people of this country it would be appropriate for you to meet with him officially.

Please reconsider the broadcast intent for you not to meet him. I feel slightly embarrassed actually that if leaders from Australia will meet with him, that we, a country with a reputation for acting on moral and ethical grounds (take being nuclear free and not joining the 'coalition of the willing' for example) can not?

I understand there are some sensitive issues regarding the relationship with China, but can we really separate financial considerations from the welfare of people with a clear conscience? If we can stand up to the US, Ms Clark, surely we can do the right thing and meet with HH Dalai Lama? Would we snub Nelson Mandela, or Martin Luther King Jr and Ghandi if they were still alive?

HH Dalia Lama is a Nobel Prize winner as you will know and in an era of a 'war on terror' stands firm as a global leader that despite years of imaginable human rights abuses and cultural genocide resolutely promotes non violence.

As you will be aware, there is a lot of Chinese propaganda about the issue of Tibet. Tibet was a recognised country in its own right, with its own currency, treatys with the United Kingdom and other indicators. The Tibetan people remain culturally and linguistically distinct from Chinese.

I have a number of books, people and resources I would be happy to point you to, if you wanted further information. Along with Amnesty International, The ICT is a good resource http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php?id=1036. They recently reported on the child and nun that were shot in front of international climbers as they attempted to cross into Nepal as refugees.

This of course did not make a large impact in international news, despite video footage. The remainder of the group of children is still missing.

Ms Clark, you have been a good leader for New Zealand, and I realise you are dealing with issues in Fiji presently. If we will talk with such a government, why not with a leader who steadfastly stands for peace? Please, my husband and I urge you to reconsider meeting with him.

Please look to your moral compass and use the great power you have to make a difference. You have a great responsibility and we trust you to represent us well.

Thank you and have a good day, I hope you are able to read this.

ENDS

© Scoop Media