Visa for Ughyur separatist: Point proven to China, but can India avoid detention

It could be termed as a tit for tat action. You block a ban on our terrorist, we allow yours into our country. India has permitted a group of Uyghur separatist leaders to meet with the Dalai Lama at Dharmashala and this has irked China no end.

China has contended that Dolkun Isa is a terrorist who has a Interpol red corner alert issued against him. Isa and three others are scheduled to visit India from April 28 onwards.

While India has granted electronic visas to the four member delegation there is yet an assurance to be given to Isa that he will not be detained or arrested on arrival.

Isa says that he will visit India only once the assurance is given.

Tit for tat

The move by India appears to be a message to China which recently blocked a move in the UN to ban Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammad.

China not only blocked the ban on the insistence of Pakistan, but even lectured India on being good neighbours.

India has raised this point with China and expressed displeasure. However China seemed to be stuck on its point. The move by India to grant visas to the Uyghur delegation and especially Isa has irked China no end.

China says that Isa the chairman of the executive committee of the World Uyghur Congress has been recognised by the UN as a terrorist organisation.

He is also accused of bombings in the 1990s at Xinjiang and Toksu. He fled China and obtained a German citizenship. There is also a red corner alert issued against him.

Will India detain him?

Top officials in New Delhi have not made anything clear about his detention. The permission has been granted for the delegation to visit India. Isa however says that there is no assurance given to him on whether he would be detained or not.

India is a member of the Interpol and will have to detain him if he arrives in India. An assurance can be given that he would not be detained, but the Interpol norms demand that anyone who has a red corner alert issued against him need to be detained by a member country. There is also an extradition clause.

Although India has proven a point to China, the issue would be dealt with care. If India decides not to detain and extradite Isa, it could have a bearing on the cases relating to India. India has several times managed to extradite people from other countries with the help of the Interpol.

The spokesperson for the Ministry for External Affairs, Vikas Swarup has said that the facts are being ascertained.