By Wasfia Nazreen
Dharamsala: May 04: Article 5 of ‘Declaration on the Human Rights of Individuals Who are not Nationals of the Country in which They Live’, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), states:
1. Aliens shall enjoy, in accordance with domestic law and subject to the relevant international obligation of the State in which they are present, in particular the following rights:
(a) The right to life and security of person; no alien shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention; no alien shall be deprived of his or her liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedures as are established by law;
(b) The right to protection against arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy, family, home or correspondence;
(c) The right to be equal before the courts, tribunals and all other organs and authorities administering justice and, when necessary, to free assistance of an interpreter in criminal proceedings and, when prescribed by law, other proceedings;
In Article 6, it further affirms:
No alien shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and, in particular, no alien shall be subjected without his or her free consent to medical or scientific experimentation.
It seems like Indian Government has submitted herself to practice of no such laws. Tibetans coming into exile to take political refuge in India are registered as foreigners. Thus they are perpetually living in the uncertain conditions of having to renew their RC (Registration Cards) every year. From my personal experience of being stationed in Dharamsala for awhile now- I see local Police, with the turn of the night, harassing Tibetan boys, left and right, to show their RCs without the need of warrants or any alleged crimes. This situation often needs to be resolved by submitting bribes, or the like, even if that means having to go home all the way from Bagsunath village in the middle of the night, back to the town of Mcleod. This ‘unsecured’ status and standard of life, is nothing new for Tibetans.
Since under Refugee status, one is to be protected and given better conditions of life than that before they came into asylum, how is that working for those living in this small hill-town of Dharamsala? Like one of the recently-arrived women who have been beaten up brutally in the May 2nd clash by local mob, expressed: “This type of treatment is something I have not experienced even in the Communist China’s regime. I thought we came here for better lives.” (Translated from Tibetan)
Consequently, sadly enough, I personally feel that Tibetans, including those residing abroad, all have to live as foreigners in this world. Status wise, the only ‘Tibetans’ are those who are living inside China, under Communist Chinese regime, but even that as ‘Chinese.’ Of course, with no doubt, Mother India has done much for the Tibetans, for which they (Tibetans) along with His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama (HHDL) are forever beholden. Nevertheless, when it comes to small communities, like ours, the Police along with other Authorities are not doing much to increase tolerance and acceptance of different races, whether to benefit Tibetans or simply for promotion of peace in the hearts of this community.
Yet tourists keep over pouring this tiny land, contributing another drop in the bucket of internal tension, lest economy behest the conquest. These diverse occupants of Mcleodganj, which largely comprise of Punjabis, Kashmiris, Ladakhis, Delhites, alongside the native Paharis and Gaddis- should bear in mind the percentage of tourists that come here for the sole purpose of this area being the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Karmapa and the thriving Tibetan culture. Without their presence, this town was never alive and shall cease to be vibrant in the future.
Like a cosmic joke, on the very night of Buddha Purnima, ironically in the hometown of His Holiness the Dalai Lama takes place such insensitive activity.
Following the April 1994 killing incident, which eventually got international media attention, His Holiness the Dalai Lama had proposed moving his home to somewhere bigger of a town in India, where social conflicts resulting from such constricted living situation, would not have a chance to emerge. He was begged and requested to stay back; however, the internal conflicts of Tibetans and locals seem to be getting worse.
On April 15 and 16th of 2007, McleodGanj experienced the auspicious Long-life Puja for HHDL, held by the local Indians and jointly organised by Taxi Union of McLeod Ganj, Bagsu and Dharamsala and McLeod Auto Union, amongst other Indian groups. Within weeks, the entire recitation of those prayers are turned into physical violence and mob attacks, not even leaving innocent women in the hands of mercy.
With a journalist’s license, we have been privileged with the freedom to write according to our own understandings. It brings me great sadness that a number of Indian media, such as “Amar Ujala” and “Dainik Jagran” to name a few, can report crucial calamities like this with such blindness and biased views, without keeping true reference to the facts. The ethical principles enveloping ‘journalism,’ which should be based on truth and nothing but the truth- seems to get redefined at the hands of many. Not to mention, ‘Dainik Jagran’s’ grand red title of May 4th, calling Tibetan’s behavior as ‘Dadagiri’ (bullying or bossing around) and the following little blurb referring the historical incident of 1994, as 1993. My only prayer is that, cognizant minds will question to the point of scrutinizing, before making choices on trustworthy news.
Needless to say that displaced civilians are especially vulnerable to violence and hostility, while continuously excruciating for opportunities to have access to food, medical care, and education. Even considering the supposed popular remark that Tibetans are known to be the most successful refugees currently surviving in the world, they are no exceptions to the hard realities of being political refugees.
With great dissatisfaction and despair, I am left to conclude that times are changing fast and submitting to bullying in epoch of living an already agitated-enough life and history, may result beyond the generalized Buddhist traditional expectation of tolerance and peace, unless Authorities take vigorous action for implementation of rightful protection.
For reference to the actual news, please see “Tibetans to boycott local taxi and auto-rickshaw service in McLeod Gunj” dated May 4th, By Phurbu Thinley
