Anirban Bhaumik：Deccan Herald: Report on 11th Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Conference

Democratic China good for India, says Chinese dissident 

Anirban Bhaumik, May 6, 2016, New Delhi, Deccan Herald

India boosted global clamour for democracy in China by opening its door last week to activists seeking change in China, said Yang Jianli, a 1989 Tiananmen Square activist said.

Yang Jianli, a prominent Chinese dissident based in United States, told DH that it was disappointing to see India cancelling the visa issued to Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa in the wake of protests by China. ~But, at the same time, we cannot overlook the fact that Indian government actually allowed us to hold such a conference in India, that too in a sensitive place like Dharamsala,~ said Yang.

His organisation Citizen Power for China held the conference, which last week brought activists seeking ~a peaceful transition to democracy~ in the communist country together at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, the seat of Tibetan government-in-exile. The Tibetans, Uyghurs and representatives of minorities of China attended the conference. Dalai Lama, the icon of Tibetans!!! resistance against Chinese rule in Tibet, addressed the delegates, who also had among them Katrina Lantos Swett, a prominent US human rights activist. ~By allowing so many people, who want to change China, to come to India, the India sent out a clear message to China and the  world. The message being India – the largest democratic nation in the world – is willing to lead and act to uphold the principle of democracy,~ said Yang. !!!Individuals came to meet Dalai Lama!!!

The government on Thursday said that the Chinese dissidents did not hold any ~conference~, but admitted that ~certain individuals~ had met the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, DHNS reports from New Delhi.

~There was no conference in India last week. Certain individuals had come to India to meet the Dalai Lama. As you are aware, Dalai Lama is a respected spiritual leader and there is absolutely no bar on foreigners coming to India to have religious or spiritual audience with him,~ said Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. 

Keep meet low-key, govt tells Chinese dissidents

Anirban Bhaumik, April 26, 2016, New Delhi, Deccan Herald

Chinese dissidents seeking democracy in the communist country will go ahead with their proposed meet in India this week, but New Delhi advised them to avoid media glare.

New Delhi has not yet asked the organisers of the conference to call it off, but has advised them to keep it low-profile, avoiding media as much as possible. The conference will be held at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh – the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The Dalai Lama, the icon of movement against China!!!s ~occupation~ of Tibet, will receive the delegates and address them.

Yang Jianli, chief organiser of the conference, arrived in Dharamshala on Monday. Sources told DH that the Indian government has advised the organisers through Dalai Lama!!!s office and the Tibetan government-in-exile to keep the event low key, ostensibly to avoid hurting sensitivities of China.  
   
Yang, a 1989 Tiananmen Square activist, is among the most prominent exiled pro-democracy dissidents of China. He lives in the US and runs the organisation Citizen Power for China, which is organising the conference in Dharamshala from April 28 to May 1. He arrived in New Delhi from Taiwan and reached Dharamshala on Monday.

Earlier conferences

The Citizen Power for China earlier organised similar conference in Boston, California, Taipei and Washington DC. This is the first time it is being held in India.

Yang!!!s organisation claimed that the annual conference had become ~the single most important united forum for planning and pursuing a peaceful transition to democracy in China~.   

Apart from Chinese pro-democracy activists, the participants will include representatives of the China!!!s ethnic and religious minorities like Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, Muslims and Buddhists, as well as delegates from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

In the wake of strong protests by Beijing, New Delhi has cancelled the visa issued to Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa, who was dubbed as a ~terrorist~ by China.

Chinese dissidents to meet in India to seek democracy

Anirban Bhaumik, April 21, 2016, New Delhi, Deccan Herald

Chinese dissidents from around the world will assemble in India next week to hold an international conference seeking transition to democracy in the communist country.

New Delhi not only gave its go-ahead to the organisers to hold the conference in India, but also granted visas to Chinese dissidents, including the World Uyghur Congress leader, Dolkun Isa, who has been dubbed as a ~terrorist~ by Beijing. The conference will be held from April 28 to May 1 at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh – the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. Dalai Lama, who has been leading Tibetans!!! struggle against Chinese rule in Tibet, will receive the delegates and address them.

New Delhi!!!s move, which is likely to raise hackles in Beijing, comes at a time, when India is upset over China!!!s decision to block the proposal to impose United Nations!!! sanctions on Pakistan-based terrorist leader Moulana Masood Azhar.

Isa, the chairman of the executive committee of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), told DH from Munich that he had already been granted visa by the Indian government to attend the conference in Dharamsala. However, he would take a final call only after assessing his security in India, as China got a Red Corner Notice issued against him by Interpol, he said.

Isa is a front-line leader of Uyghurs!!! struggle for greater political and religious freedom in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. He was jailed repeatedly for his activism against Chinese rule in what Uyghurs call ~East Turkestan~. He fled China in 1997, sought asylum in Europe and finally became a citizen of Germany in 2006. He has been campaigning against ~atrocities~ on Uyghurs and ~human rights~ violation by the Chinese government and its security forces.

Beijing got a Red Notice against Isa alleging that he was a terrorist and the vice-president of separatist East Turkestan Liberation Organisation. He, however, denied having any link with any terrorist organisation.If Isa does not travel to India, the WUC vice-president Omer Kanat and president of Uyghur American Association Ilshat Hassan will attend the conference in Dharamshala.

~This is the first time a delegation of World Uyghur Congress is visiting India. We are aware of New Delhi!!!s positive attitude towards the struggle for Tibet. India has been hosting Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetan refugees since 1959,~ Isa said on Wednesday. 

~We hope India, which is the largest democracy of the world, will also speak up in support of Uyghurs!!! non-violent struggle for political and religious freedom, democracy and human rights.~

The conference – titled ~Strengthening Our Alliance to Advance the Peoples!!! Dream: Freedom, Justice, Equality and Peace~ – is being organised by a US-based organisation Citizen Power for China (CFC), which is led by well-known exiled Chinese dissident and a 1989 Tiananmen Square activist, Yang Jianli. The participants will include China!!!s pro-democracy activists, representatives of the communist country!!!s ethnic and religious minorities like Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, Muslims and Buddhists as well as delegates from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. 

The CFC, which earlier held similar conferences in Boston, California, Taipei and Washington, stated that the annual conclaves turned into ~the single most important united forum for planning and pursuing a peaceful transition to democracy in China~.