Dalai Lama urges Hong Kong not to quit democracy fight, says pro-independence activist after visit

But at conference with spiritual leader, Hong Kong Indigenous member concedes mainland activists sceptical of city splitting from China

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The Dalai Lama spoke at a conference in India attended by Edward Leung of Hong Kong Indigenous. Photos: Reuters, David Wong

Published: 12:29pm, 5 May 2016Updated: 3:58pm, 5 May 2016

The Dalai Lama has called on Hongkongers not to give up the fight for democracy, according to Hong Kong Indigenous member Edward Leung Tin-kei who met with the Tibetan spiritual leader in India along with 60 others from the mainland, Macau, Taiwan, Europe and the United States.

Leung, who returned to Hong Kong from India on Tuesday, said the Dalai Lama described many mainland activists who fled abroad following the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown as becoming discouraged over time.

“His main message was Hongkongers need to be determined and maintain their passion,” Leung said.

Leung was in Dharmsala, India, attending the 11th Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Conference held at the Dalai Lama’s residence. The gathering was organised by US-based group Initiatives for China.

The group aimed to advance “a peaceful transition to democracy in China through truth, understanding, citizen power, and cooperative action”, according to its Facebook page.

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