By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept 8: The largest pro-independence group, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), has once again voiced its condemnation of China’s repressive policies in Tibet, this time during a protest campaign held in Majnu-ka-tilla, a Tibetan colony in Delhi. The protest comes a day before the G20 Summit scheduled to take place in New Delhi from September 9-10 where leaders from various eminent nations including China and United states are attending.
India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 of last year. Stringent security measures remain in place in parts of Delhi, with new restrictions recently enforced, making any further protest plans highly challenging. Tibetan protestors were only allowed to hold their demonstrations within a barricaded space adjoining the Majnu-ka-tilla Tibetan colony in Delhi, supervised by heavy police and riot control personnel cordon.
The group in their protest campaign called upon leaders of G20 nations to address the Tibet issue during the summit. The summit will culminate in the adoption of a G20 Leaders’ declaration, reflecting the participating leaders’ commitments to priorities discussed and agreed upon during the various ministerial and working group meetings. The campaign also focused on condemning China’s oppressive measures in Tibet, as well as the broader geopolitical concerns linked to China’s expansionist activities, which pose threat to not only India but also to its neighbouring countries.
Gonpo Thundup, the President of TYC, emphasised that their protest was not aimed at India hosting the G20 Summit but to hold China accountable for its illegal occupation of Tibet. “We are not protesting against India hosting the G20. We are very proud that India is hosting this prestigious G20 meeting in New Delhi. But our protest is against the Chinese Communist Government. The Chinese Government illegally occupied our nation. Currently, the situation in Tibet is very critical,” he said.
“We want to inform the global community that China is not to be trusted. For Indian security, Tibet’s independence is necessary. The Chinese CCP is a threat to the world. China’s expansionist policy is creating disharmony and violence in the whole world. We must have a global collaboration to make China accountable. The Chinese president has no guts to come to India, no courage to show his face in a free nation,” he further added.
