Nepal police detain 13 Tibetan demonstrators outside UN building

[News_Editor]

Nepal police detain 13 Tibetan demonstrators outside UN building

2012-02-25 07:42:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

KATHMANDU, Nepal (BNO NEWS) -- Nepal police on Friday detained more than a dozen Tibetan exiles who were attempting to storm the United Nations office in Kathmandu, media reports said.

Demonstrators tried to climb the gates of the UN office to protest against Chinese rule in Tibet. Eleven male and two women from the Tibetan community were detained during the protest, according to police.

The Buddhist refugees, who aimed to show solidarity with Tibetans, shouted, "Wake up UN, Tibet is burning", "restore human rights" and "stop killing in Tibet". As soon as the UN guards stopped them, the riot police which were deployed at the gate forced them into a police van, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

A minor scuffle took place between the Tibetans and the security personnel, PTI reported. In the past, Nepal police have released detained Tibetan protesters after few hours.

The Nepal government officially follows the one-China policy that views Tibet as an integral part of China. Nepal is home to around 20,000 Tibetans and the exiled community has carried out anti-China protests in the last few years, amid increasing pressure from Beijing to halt such activities.

Chinese authorities have stepped up security in Tibet amid a spate of suicides among Buddhist monks and nuns in protest against the Chinese rule. Since March last year, a total of 22 monks and nuns have self-immolated.

The Dalai Lama has resided in the Indian city of Dharamsala, which is now the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, since 1960 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule of Tibet. Dharamsala is also referred to as 'Little Lhasa', referring to the capital of Tibet.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-02-25

[Reasonableman]

Nepal's policy on Tibet is an understandable attempt to appear neutral, and lie doggo, hoping China might leave it alone. So far it has. Nevertheless, many people feel threatened by the "Friendship Bridge" between Tibet and Nepal, and are concerned by the roads being upgraded on the Tibetan (Chinese) side. Nepal also permits Tibetan refugees to find security from persecution in the country. What is happening inside Tibet is a tragedy and an international disgrace.