By Tenzin Sangmo
New Delhi, May 1 – The recent month saw Nepal government towing the line of China, using excessive force on peaceful demonstrators, arbitrarily arresting and harassing hoards of pro-Tibet activists in the region. After the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) won by a landslide in the recent Constituent Assembly elections, Nepal has reiterated its ‘One China’ policy which recognizes Tibet as a part of China and banned all anti-China activities.
The US Ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell expressed concern over the government’s violent break up of peaceful protests and rallies. This was brought up during a meeting with the Nepalese PM Girija Prasad Koirala Thursday.
The US Embassy in Kathmandu issued a statement saying, “Ambassador Powell expressed official US concern about the treatment of Tibetans by Nepali authorities. She urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the right to peaceful protest was maintained and that the human rights of Tibetans in Nepal are respected.”
Nepal has been put under the scanner by human rights organizations criticizing it for the use of brute force against unarmed protestors following the recent unrest in Tibet. Tibetans in Kathmandu have since been demonstrating against the PLA crackdown in Tibet. The undue force employed by Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force has given rise to negative sentiments within the international community.
The US based Human Rights Watch has condemned the actions with Brad Adams, its Asia Director saying last month, “The police are violently dispersing peaceful Tibetan protesters in Nepal’s capital and arbitrarily detaining increasing numbers. How can a government that came to power on a wave of public protests against an authoritarian regime justify crushing peaceful protests by Tibetans?”
Reports say that more than 2,500 protestors were detained overnight during the course of the continuing protests with a number of them being kicked, punched and physically attacked. Many were injured and claimed of verbal abuses by the officials.
Nepal is home to some 20,000 Tibetans, second largest number in the exile community. Nearly 3,000 Tibetans traverse through the difficult Himalayan terrains each year and cross over into Nepal risking their lives, according to human rights organizations.
