OXFORD (AFP) — The Dalai Lama wrapped up his British tour at Oxford University on Friday, faced again by noisy protesters claiming he is stifling religious freedom, a pro-China lobby and exiled Tibetan backers.
The 72-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner addressed academics, students and members of the public in the 17th century Sheldonian Theatre during a talk and question-and-answer session on Buddhism.
But the event was once again picketed by the Western Shugden Society, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism that reveres a deity denounced by the Dalai Lama since 1996 and opposes his claim to be Tibet's spiritual and political leader.
About 100 nuns and monks faced pro-Tibet campaigners and Chinese students, who also waved flags and banners amid a heavy police presence outside the venue, which normally hosts degree ceremonies and classical music concerts.
The Dalai Lama greeted the chanting crowds with a wave from his chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz car as he arrived.
Inside, his talk focused on Buddhist principles but he also told the 1,000-strong audience that although he supported their right to freedom of expression, the Shugden followers wanted to worship a "harmful spirit".
"It's my moral responsibility to make clear the negative consequences of worshipping this spirit," he said as crowds chanted outside.
The Dalai Lama's representative in Britain, Tsering Tashi, has said the group's veneration of Dorje Shugden "degenerates Buddhism into a spirit worship" while Tibetan exiles have denounced the practice as "witchcraft".
But the Dalai Lama himself joked about their international protests: "Where I go, they go, different places where I go, so I think they enjoy."
Later, he was greeted by around 100 wellwishers as he visited Oxford University's Pitt Rivers museum of natural history to launch a website featuring thousands of photographs of Tibet taken in the last 30 years.
The Dalai Lama is due to fly back to northern India, where Tibet's government-in-exile is based, on Saturday before resuming his five-country world tour in Australia from June 11.
He will then head to the United States in July, France in August and Switzerland in October.
The monk started his 11-day visit on May 20, flying in to a row over Brown's meeting him not at his Downing Street office but at Lambeth Palace in London, residence of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.
Opponents accused Brown, who is keen to boost British economic links with China, of pandering to Beijing, which has criticised pro-Tibet demonstrations which flared during this year's global Olympic torch parade.
Brown denied the charge, saying the location of the talks was not as important as the substance, which he said was not political.
Nevertheless, China sharply criticised the meeting. In a statement, its foreign affairs ministry expressed "strong dissatisfaction", saying it "interferes in China's internal affairs".
Beijing accuses the Nobel Peace Prize winner of fomenting secessionist unrest in the Himalyan region.
Speaking shortly before the talks with Brown, the Dalai Lama played down the row over the location but, asked if Britain was doing enough to support Tibet, said: "I think not enough."
The Dalai Lama has also met heir to the throne Prince Charles, received an honorary doctorate from a London university and held talks and teachings in Nottingham.
In an interview with AFP, he warned of renewed violence in Tibet if dialogue between his envoys and Beijing breaks down.
Exiled Tibetan leaders say 203 people died in the Chinese crackdown on demonstrations in the region earlier this year while China says it killed no-one and that rioters were responsible for 21 deaths.
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