By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, October 21: A group of Tibetan activists today burned down a demonized effigy of Chinese President Hu Jintao calling him “China’s Ravan” as a symbolic celebration of the concluding day of Dussehra.
The last day of Dussehra is celebrated by Hindus as victory of “Good over evil” in which a Hindu mythological demon King Ravana is put on fire to mark end of evil’s reign.
Tibetan activists today labeled Hu Jintao, who imposed Martial Law in Lhasa on March 8, 1989 following series of demonstrations when he was the Chinese Communist Party Secretary to Tibet, as “China’s Ravan” .
During the reign of the Martial decree, which lasted for 13 months, Tibetan demonstrators were brutally suppressed resulting in deaths. Aftermath the brutal suppression, several detainees were subjected to prolonged sadistic and horrifying treatments as later reported by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.
An effigy of Hu Jintao, labeled “China’s Ravan” on the chest, was paraded through the McLeod Ganj town here before it was set on fire along with two five-star Chinese national flags near the town’s main Square.
“Burning of China’s Ravan on final Dussehra festival signifies bringing to an end a symbol of evil,” Mr Tenzin Choeying, National Coordinator of Students for a Free Tibet in India told Phayul.
On Sunday, Hindus celebrated the final day of Dussehra by seeting statue of Ravan on fire signifying the triumph of good over evil.
Dharamsala is the seat of the Dalai Lama led Tibetan Government-in-Exile.
