Tibetan exiles chain themselves in new protests - scores arrested

May 10, 2008, 13:04 GMT

Kathmandu - Nepalese police Saturday arrested scores of Tibetan protestors who had chained themselves in small groups and tried to march towards Chinese visa and consular office in Kathmandu.

It was the third straight day the Tibetans were involved in protests in front of the building which also houses consular section and Xinhua news agency.

And for the third straight day, Nepalese police arrested scores of demonstrators.

'Police detained nearly 130 Tibetan demonstrators after they tried to break the police line and move towards the Chinese visa office,' Kathmandu police office said.

'Police had difficulties detaining them as small group of about 20 protestors had chained themselves together.'

Witnesses said several groups of protestors who had bound themselves in chains had repeatedly made attempts to march towards the Chinese office. Most detainees were expected to released later Saturday.

Tibetans have been involved in protests around the United Nations and Chinese embassy in Kathmandu since 10 March, calling for a free Tibet and UN investigations into the recent troubles in Lhasa.

Protestors have managed to slip into the UN offices at least on two occasions to deliver their memorandum.

Tibetan protest organizers say they will continue their protests until their demands are met, despite a Nepalese police crackdown.

Nepal, which shares a long border with Tibet, says it recognises it as a part of China and will not tolerate anti-Chinese activities in Nepal.