A few hundred Tibetan Americans chanted and danced and waved flags in front of the White House this morning in support of\u00a0the Dalai Lama’s meeting inside with President Obama.<\/p>\n
The president met with the religious leader despite warnings from China that it could damage relations with their nation.\u00a0 China has sovereignty over Tibet but many Tibetans, led by the exiled Dalai Lama, have been fighting for autonomy.<\/p>\n
“China will listen to\u00a0the U.S.\u00a0president so he should take the\u00a0initiative to make dialogue more constructive,” said Kalden Lodoe, President of the Capital Area Tibetan Association and organizer of today’s event.<\/p>\n
Many of the demonstrators wore traditional Tibetan garb and stood in a circle, holding signs in both languages and fiercely waving Tibetan and American flags while\u00a0children danced at their feet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some were from the Washington area but others had arrived on buses from New York and New Jersey.\u00a0 One sign read, “We extend our hearty thanks\u00a0to the President of the United States for inviting the Dalai Lama.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
While demonstrators seemed hopeful of eventual change their expectations\u00a0for the Dalai Lama’s visit\u00a0remained low.\u00a0 “The meeting\u00a0by itself will not have any strong effect but\u00a0we want\u00a0President Obama\u00a0to have a strong stance on human rights in Tibet,” Lodoe said.<\/p>\n