Lama’s visit deepens India-China ‘dispute’
Pakistan sends Afghans home
GUWAHATI, India, April 4, (Agencies): India said Tuesday that China should not interfere in its internal affairs, as the Dalai Lama began a weeklong visit to India’s remote northeast that Beijing has protested. The Tibetan spiritual leader was greeted by cheering supporters as he arrived in Arunachal Pradesh. China claims the partly ethnically Tibetan Himalayan state as its own territory, and warned last month of “severe damage” to relations with India and increased regional instability if the Dalai Lama proceeds with his trip.
Indian Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju said Tuesday that New Delhi respects Beijing’s “one China” policy and expects China to accept India’s policies.
“Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of India and China should not object to the Dalai Lama’s visit and interfere in India’s internal affairs,” he said.
The Dalai Lama is visiting the state at the invitation of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju said. “As a democratic country, India cannot interfere in the religious affairs of any community,” he said.
Hundreds of supporters, some waving Tibetan flags, cheered as the Dalai Lama’s motorcade entered Bomdila, a town in Arunachal Pradesh that borders China.
The Dalai Lama had to cancel his plans to fly to the state due to bad weather, giving people in Bomdila a surprise chance to greet their spiritual leader.
This is the Dalai Lama’s seventh visit to Arunachal Pradesh, and his first since 2009.
Pakistan resumes repatriation: Pakistan resumed the repatriation of Afghan refugees on Monday, sending nearly 1,200 people back across the heavily guarded northern Torkham border, an official at the United Nation’s refugee body said.
Pakistan is home to the world’s second largest refugee population, with a total of 2.5 million Afghans living there. Many have been in Pakistan since the Soviet invasion in 1979.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated significantly in recent years. Kabul and Islamabad blame each other for terrorist attacks on either side of the border.
After a series of attacks in Pakistan left more than 130 people dead in February, Islamabad shut down its border crossings with Afghanistan and began planning to build a fence along the 2,500 km (1,500 mile) border.
Human Rights Watch has accused the UN of allowing Pakistan to forcibly evict Afghan refugees in violation of international law. Rights activists say they expect little change this year in either Pakistani policies or the inability of the Afghan government and aid groups to support the tide.
650 tons of drugs seized: An Afghan official says that in the past 12 months the country’s counter-narcotics department has seized almost 650 tons of contraband drugs and alcohol.
Gen Baz Mohammad Ahmadi, deputy interior minister for the counter-narcotics police, says the confiscated drugs include raw opium, heroin and hashish. He says that during that same time, the police arrested 2,683 smugglers and traffickers, including 67 women.
He added that 20 policemen and 17 army soldiers have also been arrested for drug trafficking during the same time period. Ahmadi spoke on Tuesday as part of his annual reports on the fight against drug trafficking.