Tibetan Students Mar Chinese Premier’s Talk on Sino-India Relations
December 15, 2010
Tibetan Students Mar Chinese Premier’s Talk on Sino-India Relations
Demand “Free Tibet before Free Trade” during Wen Jiabao’s India Visit
New Delhi – Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) – India unfurled a 17ft long banner reading “Wen! Where is the Freedom? Wen Jiabao Go Back! Free Tibet” from the 9th floor of a building leading up to the ICWA (Indian Council of World Affairs) today where Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived today to give a speech on Indo-China Policy. The actions drew attention to China’s ongoing and brutal occupation of Tibet and call on China’s leadership to immediately resolve the issue. Two more SFT activists were held on top of the Museum next to the ICWA building when they were about to unfurl a banner that read “Free Tibet before Free Trade.”
“As a Tibetan born in India, I’ve grown up being inspired by the Indian freedom struggle and believing that I can also help gain freedom for my homeland,” said Dolkar, spokesperson for Students for a Free Tibet and one of the protesters. “It’s not business as usual for India and China to promote trade relations while Tibet remains an occupied territory and Chinese soldiers continue to invade Indian territories. I am calling on the Government of India to publicly urge Premier Wen Jiabao to immediately end China’s illegal occupation of Tibet and its suppression of the Tibetan people.”
During his 3-day visit, Premier Wen is leading the largest Chinese trade delegation ever to visit India to promote bilateral trade relations. Today’s actions are part of a series of actions coordinated by Students for a Free Tibet to highlight China’s illegal occupation of Tibet and its implications for India. On December 14th, a group of Indian and Tibetan students unfurled a large banner reading “Tibet’s Independence: India’s Security” at Rajghat. The Premier is scheduled to visit this location today.“Trade negotiations must not overshadow human rights while China’s illegal occupation of Tibet continues to jeopardize India’s border security, as well as other national issues including water security, ” said Tenzin Choedon, Director of Students for a Free Tibet – India. “For India to subsidize China’s economic growth is like giving your competitor a weapon to use against you. Lucrative trade deals only help to prop up the Chinese leadership’s one-party authoritarian rule, allowing it to strengthen its grip over Tibet and to further suppress its own citizens’ basic human rights.”
In addition to the border issue, Indian officials have also expressed concern over China’s so-called development of the Tibetan plateau, including the damming of rivers that flow into India. India is one of many countries that rely on Tibet’s water and the Chinese government’s irresponsible management of Tibet’s rivers threatens India’s future water supply.
“Decades of failed polices and exploitation of Tibet’s natural environment will have devastating impacts on India and other downstream Tibet if immediate measures are not taken to resolve China’s 50-year occupation of Tibet”, said Jyotsna George, President of Students for a Free Tibet’s Delhi Chapter.
Premier Wen’s visit marks 60-years of Sino-Indian diplomatic relations, but ongoing border security issues continue to plague relations between the two countries. Young Indians and Tibetans are calling on the India government to publicly press Premier Wen to bring an end to China’s 50-year occupation of Tibet and to resolve the 40-year Indo-Tibetan border dispute.
“As an Indian, I stand in solidarity with my Tibetan brothers and sisters to call on the Government of India to prioritize a political solution for Tibet over free trade agreements with China,” said Shibayan Raha, Grassroots Director of Students for a Free Tibet. “ A free and independent Tibet is the best solution to secure the Sino-Tibetan border and to stop China from pillaging Tibet’s water.”
