The alleged ill-treatment of S. Balachandran,
an Indian diplomat posted in the Consulate
in Shanghai, and two Indian employees of an
Yemeni firm by local Chinese authorities in
the city of Yiwu , about 300 kms from
Shanghai, has led to a strong protest by the
Government of India to the Chinese Embassy
in New Delhi on January 2, 2012.
2. The incident started with the illegal
detention and ill-treatment of the two
Indian employees of the Yemeni firm by local
Chinese traders and authorities who
allegedly held them accountable for the
failure of the Yemeni firm to pay its dues
to local Chinese traders. It has been
further alleged that the China-based Yemeni
head of the company disappeared making the
Indian employees face the wrath of the
Chinese traders and authorities.
3. When Balachandran went to the city to
provide consular assistance to the two
Indians and get them released, he himself
became the victim of ill-treatment by the
authorities and the court which was dealing
with the case against the Indians. It has
been reported that Balachandran, who is a
severe diabetic, was denied access to food
for nearly six hours during which period he
had to remain in court. He reportedly
collapsed as a result.
4. There is so far no reason to believe that
any official of the Chinese Ministry of
Foreign Affairs was involved in the
incident. The ill-treatment allegedly meted
out to Balachandran and the two Indian
employees of the Yemeni firm was apparently
by the local authorities who seem to have
been acting at the behest of the Chinese to
whom the Yemeni company owed money.
5. The incident illustrates the dangers of
foreigners doing business in some small
towns of China where the local authorities
often collude with the local Chinese
businessmen in harassing foreign businessmen
and traders.
6. At the same time, this incident has come
in the wake of the detention of a number of
Indian diamond merchants by the Chinese
authorities for months following allegations
of illegal trading practices by them.
Collusion of local Chinese authorities with
Chinese businessmen and traders having
unresolved disputes with foreigners is often
seen and the Chinese authorities in their
Ministry of Foreign Affairs have generally
not been known for their vigorous
intervention in such matters. They tend to
treat casually complaints of misbehaviour
and ill-treatment against their local
authorities and businessmen.
7. The Government of India should insist on
strong action against those responsible in
the instant case while discouraging our
media from blowing the incident out of
proportion. At a time when there is still
considerable prejudice against the Chinese
in sections of the Indian civil society,
such incidents would create a bad taste in
our mouth and tend to strengthen the
anti-Chinese prejudices.
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