By Luke Ward
Kathmandu, August 10 – Just after 3pm, a bus drew up full of Tibetan protesters drove up beside the former Royal Palace, and joined by some Tibetans already in the area, began to run towards the Chinese Consulate on Hattisar Road. Met by a large number of prepared police, Tibetans surged forwards, despite being met with a barrage of kicks and punches. Several protesters managed to break through the police barrier, only to be met by another line of armoured police, kitted out with padding and lathis, who beat them back as other police wrestled them back into the fray, or into a waiting truck. Today’s protest seemed even more energised, more determined than ones in previous and unfortunately police responded aggressively, seemingly surprised by the large number of Tibetans who all showed up at once. Large numbers of the policemen and women alike were involved in the ignorant bullying of the Tibetan protesters. That said, other members of the police showed a more gentle touch, helping pick up fallen protesters, and politely escorting the more senior Tibetans. Unfortunately, they were far fewer in number. Tibetan protesters, realising they were unable to get through the barrier, sat down, and some graffitied emotionally-charged slogans on the road. With the protesters sat down, the police were slowly able to wittle their numbers down, as they made arrest after arrest.
The pictures taken show a monk, who had already been badly cut been punched twice in the head. Moments later, he had collapsed, and had been taken by a friend to the side. People were being thrown around, and action is going on all around. I had to be careful where I stood, and repeatedly protesters and police crashed into me. The atmosphere was angry, tense, even frenzied, but police eventually managed to round up almost all the protesters. A second protest occurred twenty minutes after the last had ended, with the last thirty or forty protesters who had got away returning to the scene. However, they were heavily out-numbered and soon cleared by the police. In all, 350 protesters were arrested bringing the number of protesters arrested in the past four days to just under 4,000.
The protests occur amidst a backdrop of change and upheaval in Nepal. With the government still trying to find its feet, and genuine social change seemingly still elusive, many people are frustrated as prices are on the rise. Tibetans, protesting against the continued occupation of their land, and violation of human and religious rights have borne the brunt of the Nepalese government becoming ever-closer with the Chinese government. As has been reported by Phayul, the Chinese government has launched a major propaganda campaign to advertise the development of Tibet, and the merits of Chinese ‘socialism’. Although Nepalese politicians and the wider public may be wooed by cheap Chinese goods and lucrative business and aid deals with China, the 20-30,000 Tibetans in Nepal have ramped up their activities for the start of the Olympics. With all eyes on China, the Chinese government is unable to shake the spectres of it’s human rights abuses from the spectacle of the games.
