South Africa set off a wave of protests and threats of boycotts of it's soon-to-be-held peace conference when it knuckled under to Chinese diplomatic pressure and refused the Dalai Lama to participate in the conference by denying him a visa.
Former South African President FW De Klerk and Archbishop Desmond Tutu announced that they were boycotting the conference until South Africa reversed its position and allowed the Tibetan leader to come.
South Africa is more worried about the 2010 World Cup, and its own interests, rather than the interests of the peace conference that they're hosting. They've lost a lot of credibility around the globe while earning China's praise. Costly move, because now the Chinese government knows it can bully the South African government around whenever China's interests are at stake.
For a democracy to cave in to China is disturbing. De Klerk said it best: "South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and should not allow other countries to dictate to it regarding who it should, and should not admit to its territory - regardless of the power and influence of the country."
Perhaps South Africa should ask another nation to host this peace conference.
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