The Dalai Lama insisted Wednesday that “Europe is for Europeans,” warning that if too many migrants are allowed to stay, the continent could become “Muslim” or “African.”
The Buddhist spiritual leader, who has been living as a refugee in India since fleeing Tibet in 1959, told the BBC that only a “limited number” of migrants should be permitted to reside in Europe.
The 83-year-old said Europe should take in refugees and offer them an education, but then send them back to their homelands.
“European countries should take these refugees and give them education and training, then the aim is return to their own land,” he said.
The BBC host asked what should happen if migrants want to stay in their adopted countries, to which the Dalai Lama replied:
“A limited number is OK, but whole Europe eventually become Muslim country? Impossible. Or African country? Also impossible.”
Asked what was wrong with the scenario of Europe becoming Muslim or African, he said: “They themselves I think better to their own land. Keep Europe for Europeans.”
This was not the first time the Tibetan leader has voiced these opinions. In a speech last year in Malmo, Sweden, the Dalai Lama reiterated that migrants should not stay in Europe but should return to help rebuild their own countries.
“Receive them, help them, educate them, but ultimately they should develop their own country,” he said at the time. “I think Europe belongs to the Europeans.”