Kathmandu - China has expressed unhappiness over the
Nepalese government's efforts to control anti-China demonstrations by
Tibetan exiles and called for a tougher policy, media reports said
Tuesday.
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.
Xialing's comment came amid growing protests by Tibetan exiles in
Nepal despite a Nepalese government crackdown on 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.'
He said he was aware Nepal was under pressure from the
international community over its attempts to stop the demonstrations
but added the current measures were not enough.
'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.'
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.
All protestors are usually released within hours of arrest.
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. But the figure does not include many thousands of arrivals
after 1989 because the Nepalese government stopped according them
refugee status.
Refugee organisations say most of the new arrivals are sent to
India on their way to Dharmashala, where the Tibetan
government-in-exile is based.
The Nepalese government maintains it recognises Tibet as an
integral part of China and has vowed to stop anti-Chinese activities
in its territory.
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