300 Tibetans, rights activists arrested in Kathmandu

Mon, Mar 24 09:28 PM

Kathmandu, Mar 24 (PTI) At least 300 Tibetans were rounded up today as hundreds of Tibetan refugees staged demonstrations against China in the Nepalese capital at two different places including one near the United Nations office. Police baton charged hundreds of demonstrators who were protesting against the killing of Tibetans by Chinese troops in Lhasa since March 10.

Over one dozen human rights activists who gathered to extend solidarity with the Tibetan protesters were also arrested. About half a dozen agitators were injured during clashes with the police near the Singhdurbar Secretariat.

Nepal has been witnessing almost daily protests by Tibetan refugees demanding probe into the crackdown by Chinese military in Lhasa on different occasions since March 10 while observing their Uprising Day. Last week, the United Nations urged the Nepal government to respect the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

There are over 20,000 Tibetan refugees living in Nepal since they fled Chinese rule after a failed uprising in 1959. However, CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda has extended support to Chinese government's suppression of the Tibetans saying that it is China's duty to control separatist violence.

"We cannot term the Chinese government's step to check violence unleashed by the separatists in Tibet as 'crackdown,'" he said. "We regard Tibet as inseparable part of China," Prachanda told reporters today.

PTI.

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