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Protest marks Tibet unrest anniversary in Kathmandu

AP

Police arrest a protester near the Chinese Embassy Consular Office in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 14 March 2010. Demonstrators on Sunday took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of the bloody Tibetan riots against Chinese rule during which protesters were killed.

Police blocked a small protest on Sunday by Tibetan exiles outside the Chinese Embassy visa office in Nepal, detaining seven people.

About 200 police in riot gear were deployed around the office in Kathmandu and nearby streets ahead of the protest. The Tibetans chanted, “China thief leave our country. Stop killing in Tibet.”

They were arrested after trying to push through police lines.

Nepal’s government, which wants strong ties with its powerful northern neighbour, has banned protests against China, saying any activities against a friendly nation will not be tolerated.

It was not clear if the seven detained on Sunday would face charges. Sixteen Tibetan exiles were jailed for 90 days without trial under a public security act after protesting in the same spot on 10 March.

Thousands of Tibetan exiles live in Nepal, and hundreds more are allowed to pass through the country on their way to Dharamshala, India, where the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama lives in exile.

China claims Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent for centuries until Chinese troops invaded in the 1950s.

Copyright © 2010 AP

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