By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent
Kathmandu, May 17 – The Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Kathmandu intensified their campaign for ‘Free Tibet’ with a hectic bike rally in the Nepalese Capital today when police tried to thwart the rally that was confused with a preplanned Buddhist Rally by locals to mark Buddha Jayanti . One biker was reportedly attacked with a baton while riding and sustained serious injury while 5 others were arrested and later released.
This is the second consecutive day of the RYTC led campaign after Nepal Tibetan Solidarity Forum requested all to refrain from any protest. However, RTYC explains that this is not a protest but a Buddhist rally; they have also announced that there would be no RTYC operation for one week. Today’s rally was initially organized by the local Sherpa Association and other Buddhist Associations. Tibetan Youth Congress reached an understanding with them that Tibetans would also join on a condition that they refrain from carrying the Tibetan National flag. However, when many showed up with it wearing t-shirts printed with the Flag and slogans, they were asked to remove them which they complied with but in the end local Buddhists backed out and cancelled the rally citing they cannot take security responsibility. It was becoming a political rally than a religious one.
Nevertheless, RTYC went ahead without the support of locals and started the bike rally from Boudha. Police tried to thwart the rally but bikers used alternative roads and alleys to bypass the police security at main traffic intersections and continued. Some of the bikers were confused with directions and drove through inner city roads near the Chinese Embassy and Consular and the UN House at Pulchowk. At Pulchowk some bikers were reportedly stopped and lathi charged by Police, one biker sustained serious injury and five Tibetans were arrested and detained at Jawalakhel Police Station. They were released after few hours.
More than 50 bikers with pillion riders carrying Buddhist flags and the Tibetan National flag rode from Boudha to Swayambhunath Stupa where they made two rounds of the Stupa and stopped briefly for refreshment. Police arrived immediately thereafter and the bikers rushed out of the area to avoid Police intervention moving towards the Jawalakhel Tibetan Refugee Camp. At Balkhu some were again stopped by Police where two officers confiscated Buddhist flags mistaking them for the Tibetan Snow lion flag. They argued briefly with the police who could not stop as it would be violating religious rights. The bikers reached Jawalakhel camp for a brief refreshment break and continued through Koteshwor, Bhaktapur, Jorpati and back to Boudha to end the 3 hour, 50 kilometer rally with a prayer and the Tibetan National Anthem at the Tibetan Community Center.
