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Nepal police arrest 25 Tibetan protesters

AFP

Nepalese policemen detain a Tibetan in Kathmandu on 14 July 2009. Nepalese police on Tuesday arrested 25 Tibetan exiles as they staged an anti-China demonstration outside the United Nations office in Kathmandu, an AFP reporter witnessed.AFP/Prakash Mathema/Nepal

Nepalese police on Tuesday arrested 25 Tibetan exiles as they staged an anti-China demonstration outside the United Nations office in Kathmandu, an AFP reporter witnessed.

The demonstrators, who had slogans such as “where is justice?” and “violence in Tibet” painted on their clothing, said they were there to urge the international community to put more pressure on China over human rights.

“The foreign powers have not been able to pressure the Chinese government into stopping human rights abuses,” said 19-year-old Sonam Lama, a student, citing the recent unrest in China’s Xinjiang region.

“We will continue to protest and to press international organisations as long as there is no freedom for Tibet.”

Nepal is home to about 20,000 exiled Tibetans who began arriving in large numbers in 1959 after their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled Tibet following a failed uprising against the Chinese.

Sandwiched between India and China, Nepal has upheld Beijing’s “one China” policy — that Tibet is an integral part of China.

It has repeatedly said it will not tolerate anti-China demonstrations as it seeks to preserve friendly ties with its northern neighbour.

Last month, Nepalese police arrested 34 Tibetan exiles as they tried to stage a demonstration near the Chinese border.

Copyright © 2009 AFP

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