Dharamshala — Popular American talk show host and political satirist, John Oliver, aired his interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama last week and highlighted Tibet, saying, “the whole territory is a gross human rights violation.”
Filmed during his visit to Dharamshala, Oliver began the interview by saying, "The Chinese government absolutely hates you." His Holiness replied with a laugh, saying, "whatever they want to say, that's their freedom. I have no negative feeling. I just feel love. I practice taking others' suspicion, distrust and giving them patience, tolerance and compassion. I practice that."
Discussing his reincarnation, His Holiness said, “one thing I want to make clear, as far as my own rebirth is concerned, the final authority is myself. No one else. And obviously not Chinese communists.” And even said, “If I become the last Dalai Lama, I am very happy,” since he is ‘very intelligent.’
When Oliver asked if this would open up the possibility for China to name their own Dalai Lama, His Holiness called this a “short sighted and foolish act, and they are not using the human brain properly.”
“Our brain has the ability to create common sense. These Chinese hard-liners ... that part of the brain is missing.”
Ending the interview, Oliver gifted the leader a calculator watch, in keeping with tradition, as he had heard that President Roosevelt had given His Holiness a Patel Philippe pocket watch in the 1940s.
The full segment can be seen here.
