[London] Free Tibet Campaign is extremely disappointed to learn that India has caved in to strong pressure from the Chinese Government in the run up to President Hu Jintao's visit to India next week. The Indian Government has ordered renowned Tibetan activist, Tenzin Tsundue (1), not to travel outside his hometown of Dharamsala for the duration of President Hu's visit. In a letter issued by the Office of the Superintendant of Police on 13 November, Tsundue was threatened with prosecution under the Foreigners Act of 1946 if he failed to obey the order. When asked what prosecution would mean Santosh Patial, the Additional Superintendant of Police, replied, "Deportation to Tibet" (2).

"India has become the latest casualty of China's policy to use its increasing economic and political power to silence criticism of its appalling human rights abuses. It is particularly worrying that India, the world's largest democracy, founded on the principles of non-violent protest, appears to be condoning, rather than condemning, the anti-democratic behaviour of China, the world's largest dictatorship," said Matt Whitticase of Free Tibet Campaign.

Tsundue is well-known to the international media after unfurling a Tibetan flag from the 14th floor of The Oberoi Hotel in Bombay during the visit of China's then Premier, Zhu Rongji, in 2002. He performed a similar feat from the Indian Institute of Science during Wen Jiabaos's Bangalore visit in 2005 and China clearly fears he would attempt to protest again during President Hu's imminent visit.

Speaking from Dharamsala where he has been under constant police surveillance since receiving the banning order, Tsundue said, "Clearly this is pressure from the Chinese government. I was born in India and I am working only non- violently for the human rights and freedom of my people."

In a letter to India's High Commissioner in London, Free Tibet Campaign urged the Indian Government to lift the ban and asked why India was allowing China to determine how legitimate protest should be policed in India. Free Tibet Campaign has also urged its supporters to protest against the Indian Government's suppression of Tsundue's freedom of expression and movement by calling on them to telephone and email the Indian Embassy in London, demanding the lifting of the ban on Tsundue's movements.

Contact: Office 020 7324 4605, Matt Whitticase (07904 063 746), Ya'el Weisz-Rind (07733 393 773)

Click here to see Free Tibet Campaign's letter to India's High Commissioner in London.

Notes to Editor:

(1) Tenzin Tsundue studied English Literature at Chennai and earned a Masters in English and Philosophy from Bombay University. Tsundue is currently the General Secretary of Friends of Tibet in India. He visited London during summer of 2006 where he took part in protests with Free Tibet Campaign against the launch of the Gormo-Lhasa Railway He also gave testimony at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Legislation Office about his imprisonment in Tibet in 1997.

(2) Tsundue would undoubtedly be imprisoned and tortured if deported to Tibet due to his high-profile campaigning for Tibet. China's contempt for Tibetans critical of its rule was recently graphically illustrated by its shooting at a group of 70 defenceless Tibetan refugees on Nangpa la Pass at the Tibetan-Nepalese border. The group included many women and children and two Tibetans have been confirmed dead as a result of the shooting.

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