Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh), Nov 15: Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to India next week has evoked mixed reactions among Tibetans living in Dharamsala.The Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Samdhong Rinpoche, described Hu’s visit as a step forward in Sino-India relations, which would facilitate a dialogue on various issues, including Tibet’s demand for autonomy.
Our stand is always consistent. We are pursuing the middle path policy and trying to pursue a dialogue with them to find a solution to the Tibetan problem. We heartily welcome him to India because the Sino-Indian relationship must be improved. That will help for the peace and stability in the world, in Asia particularly, Rinpoche said.
Rinpoche also said that he respected Tibetan activists plans to protest against the visit of the Chinese President. But he appealed to them to ensure that the host government was not embarrassed by it.
Tibetan activists say they want Hu to be accountable for the human rights abuses in the Tibet Autonomous region, especially the recent firing on Tibetans migrating to India by Chinese border guards.
We have many questions actually, we are eagerly waiting for his coming visit to India and we have been thinking how we can make him answerable. Protests and demonstrations obviously will be there. Tibetans everywhere are not happy with what Hu Jintao has been doing in Tibet for so many years, said Kelsang Phuntsok, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress.
Most Tibetans, however, are looking forward to India initiating talks on the Tibetan issue.
In the Tibetan Children’s Village, a school for Tibetans in exile, most students said they wanted Hu to meet Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama, during his visit.
If he is here to visit his holiness the Dalai Lama and talk about our freedom, I will be very happy. If he did not, he is very shameless as he has kept our country very badly, he has killed so many of our people from our country and treated them very badly, said Tenzin Dolkar, a student.
Hu is expected to reach New Delhi on November 20 on a three-day visit. During his visit, the two sides are likely to push for a solution to over two-decade old border row.
