Police Beat Tibetan Protesters in Nepal

KATMANDU, Nepal — A group of 200 Tibetan exiles and monks tried to storm the Chinese Embassy visa office in Nepal's capital on Sunday but police beat them back with bamboo batons.

At least 130 protesters were arrested and some of the demonstrators and policemen were injured in the scuffle.

The protesters reached the metal gate of the fortified compound and were kicking and trying to push it open when police armed with bamboo batons raced to the scene and began beating them.

"Stop the killing, stop the killing," the protesters chanted as they charged toward the office gate.

Tibetans have protested in front of the Chinese Embassy visa office in the heart of Katmandu in the past, but it was the first time they had reached the gate and tried to push through.

Sunday's protest is the latest by Tibetan monks and refugees in Katmandu against Chinese authorities' crackdown on recent demonstrations in Tibet.

Police officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy, said those arrested are being held in several detention centers and will likely be freed later in the day. They will not face any charges.

Nepal has said it would not allow protests against any "friendly nation," including China.

International rights groups, like New York-based Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations have repeatedly criticized Nepal's handling of the Tibetan protests and beating of the protesters.

Nepal has not issued any statement on the Chinese crackdown in Tibet.

Comments

[isis]

I don't feel like watching the Olympics anymore

[Kalima]

Not one country has the guts to stand up to China for fear of losing trade or money.
France and Poland opting out of the Olympic opening ceremony is just a slap on the wrist for the bully.
The recent plea for the international community to help, by the Dalai Lama falls on deaf ears.
Once again we see that people and their needs are at the mercy of a despot regime and we feel
powerless. My heart is heavy.

FREE TIBET!

[brooklyncitizen]

This is painful to watch but it is good to have the spotlight on less than benign China.
Boycott Olympics in China; they have been acting with impunity for decades. How many more Tianemen squares do we need?

[Abaddon]

"How many more Tianemen squares do we need?"
Sounds more like a question for the Chinese citizens than for Ma and Pa in Iowa?
China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and you want to tell them what to do?
Nice...

[jnratliff]

This is exactly the kind of thing bush/chenny would do if they can find an excuse!

[YankeeCanuck]

Our country has a long history of non-intervention in internal genocides. "Problem from Hell" by Samantha Powers gives a well-documented account, from the coining of the word by Lemkin during the Second War and his ensuing struggle to have it regcognised as a crime against humanity.
We have looked the other way in Cambodia, Iraq, Bosnit, Rwanda, Srebrenica and Kosovo until long after nearly everyone was dead. Then we sent flowers and condolences and proclaimed it a crime. We eased our collective conscience but did nothing to stop the violence since in each case, it did not impact on our international interests.
It is a hallmark of compassion that violence and suffering that happens to others impinges on our own well-being as a people. Not many countries subscribe to this sentiment, but we can still hope.

[quintus]

A lot of blame has to lie art the feet of those who granted China the Olympics in the first place! Hello? It's not as if they had a dearth of democratic nations to choose from. What were they thinking when the gave it to a dictatorship?

[LeBelAge]

Boycott the Olympics in China is a good idea at this point. The purpose of the Olympics is to bring the world together in peace. The Chinese are now using the Olympics as an excuse for genocide. The spirit of the games has been violated.

[chinarain]

where is your logic? the Tibetan exile former ruling class is trying to exploit the Olympics with their violent riots. they are the ones who violated the spirit of the games.

[YankeeCanuck]

Former ruling class? Where do you get that notion?
"Violent" does not characterise the protests unless you are talking about the police, nor does "riot."
Civil disobedience is a powerful and subversive tool when used against a repressive regime-- the response from such a regime is often violent.

[protagonia]

chinarain See Profile I'm a Fan of chinarain

where is your logic? the Tibetan exile former ruling class is trying to exploit the Olympics with their violent riots. they are the ones who violated the spirit of the games.
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You are like a science experiment. A primitive, earlier life-form version of a troll. Fascinating to study. I look forward to more of your comments. You are very educational.

[YankeeCanuck]

Here's an idea:
A boycott of the opening ceremonies would send a message to the Chinese regime. Athletes still get to participate, but the Chinese people would get to see what the world thinks of repression. The regime would lose face in a way that would be even more effective than a boycott.

[MajorKong]

Nice people. Sure glad we moved all of our factories there.

[MagisterLudi]

have ever heard of a country called Nepal where this is taking place? Do you care? Obviously not: typical American obtuseness­.... A major?.. highly doubtful.

[Independent voter]

Boycott Communist Chinese products and stop pumping money into the Chinese military.

If you look carefully you can still find American made products at WalMart. When you can't find American products, look for those made in non-agressive nations

[MagisterLudi]

Yes, do start a boycott. begin with turning off your Chinese made computer, disconnect your Chinese router, get off your Chinese made chair, take off your Chinese made clothes.

Oh, and don't forget to ask your credit company to raise your interest rate to 30% to protest Chinese financing of YOUR debt.

[worldtraveller]

Worth every penny.... Somewhere you have to have some nads and stand up for something regardless of the consequenc­es....

[Purple Girl]

Ya Know Shits bad when Buddhist Monks start losing their tempers!
But since this Admin & congress don't give a shit about Relgious Freedom nor Human Rights, they will continue to Whine about it but Do Nothing. Do they know the differnc ebetween Buddhists and Hindu's, Probably Not , they can't even tell the differnce between the relgious factiin a Country they have Invaded & Occupied - irrrelevant it's Only about the OIL. And So for neither Buddhists or Hindus have shown to have that 'Texas Tea" , so They'll Ignore it.

[MadCow]

"Do they know the differnc ebetween Buddhists and Hindu's, Probably Not"

Very probably not ... especially since it's a fact that bush didn't know there was a difference between
the Shia and Sunnis before he invaded Iraq.

But re Tibet ... the Dali Lama was on the CIA payroll for years. US is angry at China for not wanting to place sanctions on Iran. What better way to create a little problem for China than to manipulate the monks? After all, there are not many other options for revenge, not when China practically owns the US. Human Rights? Who cares? Well, you and I care, but we're not in charge.

[GhostintheMachine]

The Dalai Lama was on the CIA payroll? Under what adminstration?

[chinarain]

Buddhism has different doctrines, and Tibetan buddhist in particular, have a long history of brutality and violence..­.

[marko77]

"Buddhism has different doctrines, and Tibetan buddhist in particular, have a long history of brutality and violence..­." by chinarain

chinarain, you've got bad LSD on the brain. What nonsense you post!!!

[hillpill]

china pr man,
you are an obvious plant. you should use a less transparent name like DemocracyRules or Freedom4Ever, and make your propaganda a tad subtler for your pr to be effective.

[Leonard]

I think all should boycott the Olympics. I am just one but will not watch a bit of it nor purchase anything having to do with it...from sponsors like Coca-cola etc.

China would feel that for sure.

[Erdgeist]

I think Americans should boycott Wal-Mart who imports a great deal of ChiCom goods.

[SmootyBooty]

No problem. We're about out of money anyway...

[MadCow]

You think boycotting Wal-Mart will make a difference? Then you can go to Target or anywhere else and shop Chinese goods, lol. (Btw, I never ever shop in Wal-Mart, but that's because I can't forgive them for killing all the mom and pop stores back in the day when Wal-Mart still pretended their goods were US made.)
We would have to boycott all the big corporations who took our jobs to China, India and god knows where ever else labor is cheapest. It's not as if the Asians came to America and stole jobs one dark night. The greedy US (&global) corporations TOOK our jobs to Asia for reasons of greed, mainly. I read that there's only ONE shoe manufacturer left on US soil! I bought ceramic bathroom fixtures from Lowe's ... Kohler brand, now made in China. It took 3 trips and exchanges until I got a pedestal sink that wasn't cracked. What a pain. It's a long way to ship from China, and the quality just isn't there. Screw the lower prices ... when you used to buy a Kohler product, made in the US, it was in one piece, of good quality, and you knew that Americans were being employed.
We've been sold out by our own and certainly can't blame the Chinese for it.

[fcsakes]

F. china. Olympics? Not on your life.