Govt likely to prosecute Tibetan protestors under PSA

KATHMANDU, Oct 1: The government as per the Public Security Act is likely to prosecute nearly three dozen Tibetan demonstrators for staging protests against the 60th anniversary celebrations of the People’s Republic of China in the capital.



The Metropolitan Police held over 100 Tibetan demonstrators of which 32 may face possible prosecution, said SP Navaraj Silwal, Chief of Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu. “We will possibly file cases against them as they were carrying documents, banners and posters in violation of the law,” said Silwal. [break] The police detained nearly half of the Tibetan demonstrators at the Nepal Police´s Number 2 Brigade in Maharajgunj and screened them till late evening.



Earlier, the police had foiled two major attempts by the Tibetans to stage demonstrations in Hattisar near the office of China Visa Section. Despite tight security arrangement throughout the capital, over 150 Tibetans gathered as commoners at Jay Nepal Cinema Hall near the Visa Section Office and took to the streets wearing T-shirts with slogans like ´Free Tibet´ imprinted on it.



The government is learnt to have adopted a tough stance against the demonstrators in a bid to allay Beijing’s concerns that the Tibetan exiles could infiltrate to Tibet from the northern hilly borders to stage massive protests. According to security officials, this is first time that the police have arrested such a large number of Tibetan protestors for possible prosecution.



Bouddha, which is home to the largest number of Tibetan exiles in the capital, remained peaceful throughout the day after the police arrested over a dozen protestors. Police had also arrested protestors from other places in the capital including Gaushala, Swoyambhu, Sorakhutte and Maitidevi. A good number of Tibetans who were arrested have been identified as those who have been arrested several times before. While a few others were found to have been quite new to Nepal as they could not speak other than the Tibetan language. Sources said some Nepali citizens were also arrested along with the agitating Tibetans, but later released after screening.



Tibetans in Kathmandu have time and again staged protests over the Chinese rule of Tibet timing it with China’s national celebrations. China claims Tibet to be an integral part of China, while Tibetans worldwide dispute it.



Meanwhile, agencies reported that Tibetan exiles were also arrested in New Delhi. They held demonstrations, shouting "free Tibet" slogans. Some protestors managed to climb the wall of the Chinese Embassy compound in New Delhi.

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