The Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group harms Islam through its intolerance, but “dialogue” with the jihadists is vital, the Dalai Lama said in an interview reported on Monday by the Italian daily La Stampa.
“Islam is a religion of peace. Those who are intolerant harm their own faith and their own brothers,” the Tibetan spiritual leader was quoted as saying in Bangalore, southern India, where he took part in a seminar on peace and the economy.
Even so, “there has to be dialogue, with IS as well,” the Dalai Lama said, in remarks reported in Italian.
Asked how this should be achieved, he replied, “Through dialogue. One has to listen, to understand, to have respect for the other person, regardless. There is no other way.”
A US-led coalition and Russia have vowed to crush ISIS, also known as IS, ISIL or Daesh, which has carried out executions, abductions and rapes in areas under its control in Iraq and Syria, and conducted a wave of terror operations abroad.
Despite the Dalai Lama’s comments, ISIS itself has been very clear in stating it considers any form of dialogue with non-Muslims as forbidden. The terrorist group – which carried out a genocidal campaign of mass-killings against Yazidis in Iraq last year – aims to establish a worldwide Islamic empire, or caliphate.
The Dalai Lama is not the first religious leader to call for “dialogue” with ISIS, after Pope Francis made similar comments last year.
AFP contributed to this report.
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