Protesters 'Greet' Hu Jintao in New Delhi
(By Tenzin Dickyi | Phayul.com | November 20, 2006)

Protest Against Hu Jintao in New Delhi (Photo by Tenzin Dasel)

New Delhi: As India laid down their red carpet to welcome Chinese President Hu Jintao at the International Airport, New Delhi today, the Tibetans on the other hand left no stone unturned to greet him with protest. The protesters more than 2000 in number gathered at Jantar Mantar and started shouting slogans against Hu's visit. And Tibetan Youth Congress sat for their third day of Hunger Strike which will continue till November 23.

Tibetan People's Movement which organised this protest condemned the visit of Chinese President to India. Nuns, Monks, children and youths joined this day to show their solidarity and raised their voice for the voiceless people in Tibet who are denied of all the fundamental rights. The Youth Liberation Front of Tibet and about more than 200 Arunachali people joined hands with the Tibetans to give their share of support. Also present at the gathering were many foreigners and Indian supporters.

Hosts of media personnel were present to witness the day and many other eminent guests also marked their presence. Among the guests were Lhadon Tethong, Executive Director of Students for A Free Tibet (SFT), Imran Ismayil, General Secretary for Minority Morcha, Prof Trikha, President of Core Group for Tibetan Cause, Dr Kuldip Chand Agnihotri, National President of Bharat-Tibet Sahyog Manch and Baldev Pandey, Spokesperson for Friends of Tibet (FOT).

Addressing India's weak support for Tibet over the years, Arunachal Pradesh Member of Parliament, Khiren Rijju said that it is India's duty to support Tibet's cause. "Since India is considered the largest democratic country in the world, government of India must come forward and take up the matter of Tibet with their Chinese counterparts more seriously", he told the press. He further added that the Chinese claim of Arunachal Pradesh as their territory is a serious issue and any kind of aggression and dominance will not be tolerated by the people.

A cultural presentation was organised later in the evening where Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) and various other solo singers sang patriotic songs in rememberance of the Martyrs who forfeited their life for the cause of Tibet. A special attention was given to three nuns who had lived as political prisoners for six years in Tibet under the Chinese regime. Surprisingly more than 20 people among the crowd had suffered Chinese imprisonment. They were honoured as they all stood up in the crowd and people could not stop applauding them. Poems were also read out which carried messages of Freedom and Justice.

A red bandana was tied on everybody's forehead to symbolise Tsundue's absence during the protest. Tenzin Tsundue, Tibetan freedom activist has been officially barred from leaving his exile home town during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao. SFT Executive Director Lhadon Tethong recited a poem written by Tenzin Tsundue and also read out his letter where he wholeheartedly regrets his absence. The demonstration was later in the evening followed by candle light vigil. The protest demonstration finally concluded with prayers.

'Freedom to Dissent'
(Times of India Editorial | November 21, 2006)

India seems to be taking the maxim Atithi Devo Bhava too literally. Ahead of the Chinese president's visit, the ministry has gone into overdrive to sanitise New Delhi of Tibetan protestors. First, the police ordered Friends of Tibet activist, Tenzin Tsundue, to stay put in Dharamsala until Hu Jintao returned to Beijing. Now, there are reports of the police asking Tibetan exiles to stay away from the city centre, fearing them to be a security threat. Such gagging of peaceful political protests is inappropriate. New Delhi has officially accepted China's occupation of Tibet, but it has no business to demand that all sections of the civil society should toe the line.

Certainly, Beijing wouldn't be pleased at the sight of Shame China placards in the capital during Hu's visit. That's not at all surprising since China has no claims to be a democracy. The freedom to protest is an essential sign of an open society. India rightfully claims to be one. No government in India is spared of criticism, and the Indian state, in principle, and most often in practice as well, respects the right of citizens to dissent peacefully and demonstrate against official policies. There is no need to make any exception to it even when the target of protest is a visiting head of state.

India and China do have common economic interests, but our political systems have little in common. New Delhi is one up on Beijing in having a democratic form of government, and can justifiably be proud of giving asylum to political refugees including those from Tibet. The success of the Chinese economy has prompted many to gloss over the rampant human rights violations in that country. Friends of China, like the CPM which opposes abuse of human rights by countries like the US in Iraq and Latin America, should advise Beijing on the importance of political and social freedoms.

This underbelly of China is manifest in the large number of executions in that country. Amnesty International has reported that 84 per cent of globally documented executions are carried out in China; over 18,000 people were put to death in the 1990s. Some estimates claim that the average number of judicial and extrajudicial executions between 1997 and 2001 were anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000.

With a conviction rate of 99 per cent and state-promoted fast-track justice-dispensing mechanisms like mobile execution vans, China appears to be caught in a time warp. Perhaps, Hu should take a few lessons in combining Marxist rhetoric and liberal democracy from his comrades in CPM.

Tibetans Protest Hu Jintao's State Visit
(By Tenzin Dickyi | Phayul | November 19, 2006)

Protest Against Hu Jintao in New Delhi (Photo by Tenzin Dasel)

New Delhi: Around more than 600 Tibetans staged a peace protest here in New Delhi at Jantar Mantar against Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to India. Many Indians as well as foreigners joined the procession to show their solidarity and support for the Tibet cause. Among the organizers of the event were Tibetan Women's Association (TWA), Friends of Tibet (FOT), Students for Free Tibet (SFT), National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and Gu-Chu-Sum Movemnet of Tibet.

The procession carried banners, Tibetan flags big and small and various placards. Numerous slogans like ‘Tibet belongs to Tibetans', 'People of the world support us' and Release Panchen Lama' were on the lips of every Tibetans present there. A minute's silence was also observed to mourn the deaths of Tibetan brethrens under Chinese occupation.

The protestors marched till the nearest point to the Indian Parliament House as permitted by the Police. As it reached there, the procession stopped and reverted in the same dignity to the initial point. Ven Nawang Woeber, President of Gu-Chu-Sum addressed the crowd about Hu Jintao's sordid imposition of martial law inside Tibet in 1989 which led to the killing of many innocent Tibetans. Hu was then the Head of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

"International Olympic Committee (IOC) should warn China that its right to host the Games would be revoked if there is no improvement in its human rights record. But the recent attack on the Tibetan refugees at Nangpa Pass clearly reveals the inflexible attitude of the Chinese government for not considering Human Rights as an important issue. So we request all the sports fraternity of the world to support Tibet by boycotting the Olympic game in Beijing" said B Tsering, President of Tibetan Women’s Association. Showing their great support, Mr Girish Juyal, National Coordinator for Minorities and Mr Mohamad Afzal, Convener for Nationalist Muslim Movement spoke for few minutes to the crowd. They made their presence in the evening and confirmed themselves as an ardent supportor of Tibet in their freedom struggle. The day culminated with a prayer session with a hope that Tibet will see a better tomorrow real soon.

Protest Against Hu Jintao in New Delhi (Photo by Tenzin Dasel)

Hu Jintao protest was organised by Tibetan Women's Association (TWA), Friends of Tibet (FOT), Students for Free Tibet (SFT), National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) and Gu-Chu-Sum Movemnet of Tibet on November 19, 2006 in New Delhi.