‘Exiled tibetans protest on the eve of Chinese Premier's visit’
(ANI News | April 08, 2005)

A day ahead of the visit of Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, dozens of exiled Tibetans took to streets here on Friday to protest against his arrival. The activists staged a silent demonstration wearing red masks, demanding rights for the Tibetans in their homeland. The protestors called for stopping of Chinese atrocities in Tibet.

Several spoke out their mind through their clothes — an activist wore a T-shirt with a slogan, "We need human rights in Tibet."

"The Chinese Prime Minister is coming to Bangalore tomorrow, the Tibetans and Indian Tibetans supporters want to protest the illegal occupation of Tibet and Chinese policies of rampant mineral resources draining from Tibet, population influx in Tibet where there are more number of Chinese in Tibet than the Tibetans. Tibetans are pushed down to minority in their own country," said Tenzin Tsundue, General Secretary of Friends of Tibet, an organisation fighting for the rights of Tibetans.

The giant neighbours, home to one-third of the world's people and fastest growing economies, have in recent years improved ties, vowing not to let economic and trade relations to be bogged down by boundary dispute.

Beijing has recently turned down the Dalai Lama's peace overtures saying he continues to pursue secessionist ideas. The Dalai Lama, who says he wants real autonomy for Tibet, has said it could remain a part of China but Beijing has rejected Hong Kong model of autonomy for Tibet.

Thousands of Tibetans, including their spiritual leader Dalai Lama, fled their homeland after Chinese troops marched into Tibet in 1950.

About 130,000 Tibetan refugees are now settled in country's different parts with the Tibetan government-in-exile headquartered in Dharamsala. (World News)

© Asian News International

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