His Holiness the Dalai Lama (file photo)
Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India – Following the recent joint pledge signed by the five recognised nuclear-weapon states affirming that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has issued a statement warmly commending their action.
“As an avowed campaigner for demilitarization throughout the world and the elimination of all nuclear weapons,” His Holiness wrote, “I firmly believe this to be a positive initiative.
“Despite many great developments that also took place, the 20th century was an era of violence that included the horrific use of nuclear weapons. It was a time during which some 200 million people are said to have been killed. This joint statement reflects the reality that we live in an increasingly interdependent world, and represents an opportunity to make this 21st century an era of peace and cooperation.
“It is essential that all of us, including the UN and its member nations, make concerted efforts to end the threat of nuclear weapons and dedicate ourselves towards total nuclear disarmament.”
His Holiness declared that he firmly believes in the oneness of humanity and considers the well-being and security of all human beings to be of supreme importance. As such, he stated that he is convinced that when there are issues between countries, they should be resolved through dialogue in a spirit of accommodation, understanding and diplomacy. He ended with the observation that history provides ample evidence that violence never leads to lasting peace.
