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The Dalai Lama Warns Germany Cannot Become An Arab Country

REUTERS/Claus Bech/Scanpix

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, said in an interview published Tuesday that Germany “cannot become an Arab country,” and migrants should return to their home countries.

“When we look at the face of each refugee, but especially those of the children and women, we feel their suffering, and a human being who has a better situation in life has the responsibility to help them,” the Dalai Lama told German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

He added, “but on the other hand, there are too many at the moment… Europe, Germany in particular, cannot become an Arab country, Germany is Germany.”

“There are so many that in practice it becomes difficult,” the Dalai Lama said. He continued to say, “from a moral point of view too, I think that the refugees should only be admitted temporarily.”

He said that, “The goal should be that they return and help rebuild their countries.”

The Dalai Lama is typically seen as a liberal figure. President Barack Obama has called him “a powerful example of what it means to practice compassion.”