Ottawa, October 16, 2026 – The Canada Tibet Committee (CTC) strongly condemns the October 14 petrol-bomb attack on the Office of Tibet in Pretoria, which is also the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Representative, Mr. Dhundup Gyalpo.
Attackers hurled petrol bombs through the building’s windows late at night. Mr. Gyalpo escaped the smoke-filled house only by breaking a window and climbing out. The fire left the office and residence uninhabitable. This was the second attack on the property: on July 6, the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday, three petrol bombs were hurled at the property but failed to cause damage. This was deliberate violence intended to intimidate.
Established in 1997 with President Nelson Mandela’s approval, the Office has focused solely on cultural, educational, and religious work. It threatens no one.
CTC joins the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in calling on the South African Police Service to fully and transparently investigate both attacks, including any possible foreign involvement, and to protect the Office in the meantime. South Africa’s government should condemn the attack publicly rather than treat it as a routine policing matter.
Canadians are aware of the threat of transnational repression against diaspora communities, including Tibetans. CTC urges Global Affairs Canada to raise this concern with its South African counterparts. We stand in solidarity with Mr. Gyalpo and the Tibetan community in South Africa.