Chinese Premier's India Visit Faces Tibetan Protests

Dharamshala: As the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao began his three-day visit to India on Wednesday, Tibetan exiles lodged their protest in Indian capital against China's rule over Tibet, protesters say, "It's their style of lodging a peaceful protest against Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's in the Indian capital. They just want to highlight China's "occupation and oppression" of Tibet, a mountain region of Himalaya." Tibetans staged demonstrations against Wen Jiabao in New Delhi asking China to leave Tibet. Protesters shouted slogans against Jiabao and China saying that "Tibet is not belong to China," "Free Tibet," "Long live the Dalai Lama" and "Wakeup UNO."

Speaking to Times of India, the prime minister of Tibet, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche said, "In fact, there is no Sino-India border. Tibet is intertwined with the boundary problem between these two countries.There needs to be a political will in both India and China to resolve the boundary dispute." He however added that China had been all along more rigid on the issue. He said, "Unless the question of Tibet hangs in balance it is wishful thinking to hope for a lasting peace in the region."

Tibetan Youth Congress, the largest of Tibetan NGO stands for Independence of Tibet have planned three- day sit in protest at Jantar Mantar to draw the attention towards half -a- century old unresolved Tibetan Issue. Other Tibetan support groups including organization of political prisoners - Gu-Chu- Sum, Tibetan Woman Association (TWA), Student for Free Tibet (SFT) and National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT) organised a conference at Delhi with Indian intellectuals writers and Political leaders.

"Our action here today sends a clear message to Wen Jiabao that the youth of this nation will not tolerate China's blatant attempt to colonize parts of India, nor will we remain silent while China continues to brutally suppress the Tibetan people," Shibayan Raha, Grassroots Director of Students for a Free Tibet - India told Hindustan Times.

Over 1,000 people marched from Rajghat to Jantar Mantar where they held a protest meet. They carried placards that read: Free Tibet Wen, Free Tibet Now. Police said that enough security personals were deployed outside the Chinese embassy and other key positions across the country.

India is the second home to around 94,203 Tibetan exiles including Nobel Peace Prize winner and Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee after Chinese occupation over Tibet.

Mr. Wen said $16 billion of deals between the two countries would be announced along with his visit to India. Some of the total included finalizations or financings of deals already under way.