INDIA: LIFE FOR TIBETAN COMMUNITY IN SUBURB OF NEW DELHI скачать в хорошем качестве

INDIA: LIFE FOR TIBETAN COMMUNITY IN SUBURB OF NEW DELHI

(28 Nov 1996) Eng/Hindi/Nat After 48 years of chilly diplomatic relations, Chinese President Jiang Zemin is set to visit India this week for talks aimed at bridging the two Asian giants' differences. Zemin and Indian leaders will discuss a variety of issues, including border disputes and Indian concern over China's nuclear testing. But there's one issue both countries will probably try to ignore - the thorny question of Tibetan independence. These Tibetan schoolchildren have never set foot in their native land. In fact, most of the 3-thousand Tibetan exiles in this Indian settlement have spent their lives here...longing for a country most of the world has forgotten. China annexed Tibet in 1951, forcing more than 100-thousand Tibetans to flee. Today, exiled Tibetans are scattered in 132 different countries. But the biggest group makes its home in India, along with their Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. These refugees live in a crowded, rundown part of the Indian capital... a long way from the farms they left behind. But life still centres around traditional Buddhist culture. Samden Chudon fled to India when she was 26. That was in 1960. But she hasn't forgotten the circumstances that made her leave. SOUNDBITE: (Hindi) "We are not violent people, but the Chinese used guns to drive us out. They killed our mothers, fathers, grandparents. To save ourselves, we followed the Dalai Lama here. We like India, but we won't stop this fight because China has snatched away our traditions and our livelihood. We'll teach the children the same, make them understand." SUPER CAPTION: Samden Chudon, refugee New Delhi's Tibetan community hopes to send Chinese President Jiang Zemin a clear message when he visits. Tibet is not a part of China, they say, and should be granted independence. They also hope to remind India not to forget their plight. But the crusade will be difficult. Indian police are expected to surround the Tibetan settlement to rein in demonstrators on Thursday - when Zemin is scheduled to arrive. Indian police have also ordered Tibetan leaders to keep quiet during the Chinese leader's four-day visit. But Tibetans are remaining defiant. SOUNDBITE: (Hindi) "We want to show Jiang Zemin that until Tibet is free, we Tibetans under the leadership of the Dalai Lama, will keep fighting." SUPER CAPTION: Lobsang Rapten, Speaker, Tibetan Local Assembly Some analysts however believe the Tibetan issue won't even make the agenda during Zemin's visit. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Nothing will change...because this is a government to government visit. For me the only importance of this visit is that we'll once again demonstrate that Indian territory is in Chinese hands, that Tibet is not yet free..." SUPER CAPTION: George Fernandez, Chairman, Indian Parliamentarian's Group on Tibet For these Tibetans, China's unwillingness to negotiate means they'll continue to live as Indian refugees indefinitely. But they say they remain hopeful and pray that at least when they die, Tibet will be their final resting place. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...