Nepal police arrest more than 100 Tibetan demonstrators (Roundup)

May 13, 2008, 11:03 GMT

Kathmandu - Nepalese police Tuesday arrested scores of Tibetan exiles taking part in anti-Chinese demonstrations in the capital Kathmandu.

Dozens of Tibetan youth with their bodies painted with pro-Tibet slogans tried to march to the Chinese visa office and consular section, prompting police action.

'Free Tibet' read one sign, while another read 'Stop killings in Tibet.' The protestors included Buddhist monks and nuns.

Police said they arrested nearly 120 Tibetan protestors as they tried to cross police lines.

Police dragged the demonstrators and pushed them unto waiting trucks and vans before driving them off to detention centres.

Police said they expected most protestors would be released later in the day.

Tibetan exiles have vowed to continue their protests until their demands are met. The demands include autonomy for Tibet, investigation into recent violence in Lhasa by international observers and return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

The new protests came as China expressed its unhappiness over the Nepalese government's handling of the demonstrators and called for tougher action.

The Kantipur newspaper quoted the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Zheng Xianglin, as saying Nepal needed to take stern action against Tibetans involved in protests in the capital Kathmandu.

'Arresting Tibetan demonstrators and releasing them hours later is nothing but a drama,' Xianglin said. 'The Nepalese government must take tougher measures against such demonstrators and not release them.'

He described the demonstrators as 'separatists' and accused anti-Chinese demonstration as being supported by 'foreign forces.'

'Some United Nation offices and human rights groups are trying to instigate the protests,' Xianglin was quoted by the newspaper as saying. 'UN officials are present during each and every demonstration that occurs in Kathmandu.'

Kathmandu has seen almost daily street protests by Tibetan exiles around the Chinese embassy, its visa office and consular section and the United Nations office since March 10.

On Sunday, Nepalese police arrested more than 550 Tibetan women protestors, including elderly women and Buddhist nuns.

It was the largest number of arrests of Tibetan protestors by Nepalese police in a single day.

Nepal has a large Tibetan exile community settled mainly in Kathmandu and Pokhara in western Nepal.

According to government figures, there are about 20,000 Tibetan refugees in the country. But the figure does not include many thousands of arrivals after 1989 because the Nepalese government stopped according them refugee status.

The Nepalese government maintains it recognises Tibet as an integral part of China and has vowed to stop anti-Chinese activities in its territory.