NEW DELHI: Security agencies were reported to be tense yesterday with China insisting it does not want any Tibetan protests during President Hu Jintao’s four-day visit next week and the Tibetans determined to demonstrate, news reports said.
“We are trying to make sure Hu’s visit is not marred by protests. But considering that Tibetan demonstrators have an uncanny ability of sneaking past cordons in twos and threes and holding impromptu sit-ins, we are taking all precautions,” a senior security official said.
New Delhi has served Tenzin Tsundue, a Tibetan poet and general secretary of Friends of Tibet group, with an order barring him from leaving the hill town of Dharamsala in India’s northern state Himachal Pradesh until November 25.
Dharamsala, also known as Little Lhasa, is about 225km north of the state capital Shimla, and is home to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists.
Tsundue led high-profile protests during visits of former Chinese premiers Zhu Rongji and Wen Jiabao in 2002 and 2005 respectively.
“We are not going to be cowed down by security restrictions on us. We will see to it that our voices are heard and we will demonstrate,” Baldeo Pandey, spokesman for Friends of Tibet, said.
“Hu’s visit is a great opportunity for us in exile to rise up and perform our duty as citizens of Tibet by reminding him that we will not rest until Tibet is independent,” he added.
Nearly 150,000 Tibetan refugees have made India their home and have been protesting against China’s occupation of Tibet. But India, despite giving the Dalai Lama sanctuary, does not recognise his government-in-exile.
