By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent
Kathmandu, March 10: Over 200 Tibetans have been arrested and detained in Nepal’s capital following a clash with police on Monday when they tried to march to the Chinese embassy.
These activists have been detained at three different Police stations in Kathmandu.
Some of the protestors and Police have received minor injuries after police baton-charged the activists when they had been pelted with stones.
Thousands of Tibetans had initially gathered in Boudha, a Buddhist enclave in Kathmandu, to mark the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising day.
The clashes began after police tried to stop some few hundred Tibetan exiles from leaving Boudha to hold protest outside Chinese embassy against China’s invasion and occupation of their once independent country.
Hundreds of Nepali Police, including armed riot Police, were deployed at least at 10 different locations between Boudha and Baluwatar, where the Chinese Embassy is located to tackle Tibetan demonstrations.
At least 400 policemen and three police dogs were stationed near the Chinese Embassy in Baluwatar to guard the building from two sides of the road and six plain clothes Chinese officials were seen instructing Nepali police.
“Today saw an unprecedented deployment of Police personnel by Nepali Government,” an activist at the scene told Phayul.com.
“I am amazed at how many Police were deployed today. I was taking pictures and one Chinese official spit at me,” he said.
Nepali police had initially tried to stop the Tibetans at the Boudha Stupa gate. The demonstrators, however, managed to push their way out on the main street before being stopped again at two more locations.
The clashes began at Tusal when the activists failed to move ahead due to strong police presence. When the activists struggled to move ahead, police started kicking and hitting with canes. Some frustrated youths started throwing stones at the police forcing them to start larthi-charging.
Several people were arrested were taken away to Bouda Police Post, while others quickly dispersed into different directions.
Another group of Tibetans who reached further at Chabahil were also arrested and taken away to Gausala Police Post when they continued their protest. A third group of activists who even managed to protest near the Chinese Embassy in Baluwatar were also beaten by Police. Several of them were arrested and were taken away to Kamal Pokhari Police Station.
At the time of filing this report, a source informed Phayul.com that some hundred Tibetans have arrived outside the Gausala Police Post demanding release of fellow Tibetans. According to the source, when the Tibetans started shouting and tried to disrupt the traffic flow of the area, the police started lathi-charging heavily on them.
In a separate incident last night, some Tibetan activists have written Tibetan freedom slogans like “Free Tibet” on the walls of the new Chinese Consulate at Hattisar. This morning a dozen Embassy staffs were seen cleaning the graffiti.
