China stares, India blinks; cancels visa for Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa

The Indian government on Monday said it has cancelled the visa given to a leading Chinese dissident to participate in a conference in Dharamsala. The cancellation comes on the heels of China's objection to the visa approval, asking India to bring the 'terrorist' to justice.

"We have cancelled the visa given to Dolkun Isa," a Home Ministry spokesperson on Monday said without elaborating further.

The government cited Interprol's red corner notice against Isa as reason for the cancellation.

Isa, a leader of World Uyghur Congress (WUC), who lives in Germany, had been invited for the conference being organised by US-based 'Initiatives for China'.

Reacting to the Indian move, Isa said, "On April 23, I got a very short note by the Indian side that my visa is cancelled. There was no explanation."

He said he did not know what exactly was the reason for it. "May be because of Chinese pressure put on the Indian government. But, I do not know...I did not get any explanation from the Indian side," he said.

India's decision last week to allow WUC leaders, whom China regards as backers of terrorism in its volatile Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province, had come in the backdrop of Beijing blocking India's bid to get Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN.

China's unhappiness about reports that Isa has been given the visa was reflected in Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying saying, "What I want to point out is that Dolkun is a terrorist in red notice of the Interpol and Chinese police. Bringing him to justice is due obligation of relevant countries."

Xinjiang, which has a population of over 10 million Uyghur — Turkik origin Muslims, was on the boil for several years over Uyghur protests against the large-scale settlements of Hans from different parts of the country.

China blames East Turkistan Islamic Movement, a militant Islamist group, for terrorist attacks in Xinjiang and other parts of the country.