Rights Group Calls for Release of Arrested Tibetans

Friday, 20 June 2008, 12:33 p.m.

Dharamshala: A Washington,
DC-based human rights group has called on the international community
to take urgent actions against Nepal government’s brutal treatment of
Tibetans living in Nepal, who have been staging peaceful protests
against Chinese armed forces’ ruthless killing of Tibetan protestors in
Tibet since 10 March.

The urgent call from the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT)
came in the wake of the arrest of three Tibetan community leaders in
Nepal – Kelsang Chung, Director of the United Nations-funded Tibetan
Refugee Reception Center, and Ngawang Sangmo and Tashi Dolma, president
and vice president of the regional Tibetan Women’s Association.

According to media reports they are arbitrarily from their
homes Thursday and are being held in two different prisons in
Kathmandu.

“We call for the immediate release of these three prominent
Tibetans,” said Mary Beth Markey, Vice President of Advocacy at the
International Campaign for Tibet.

According to CNN, Nepalese authorities Thursday detained at least 650 Tibetan exiles protesting against China’s policies.

“These arrests are deeply disturbing at a time of transition to
a new government in Nepal, when Tibetans, already vulnerable in Nepal,
are very nervous about Chinese government influence and presence in
Kathmandu,” said Markey.

“ICT calls on Nepal’s new democratic leaders and the
international community to be vigilant of China’s intentions in Nepal
and the impact of its influence on long-staying Tibetan refugees in
Nepal,” Markey added.

Officials of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and some
foreign embassies in Kathmandu are following the cases closely, but
there has been no public response by the new Nepal government, ICT said
in a statement.

Nepalese People’s Positive Approach

The Sherpa Himalayan community of Nepal has voiced its serious
concern on the Nepalese government’s repressive handling of peaceful
Tibetan demonstrators.

Terming the actions as both inhuman and repressive, they said,
it is also a very serious violation of the Interim Constitution of
Nepal, which upholds the dignity of the basic human rights.

They said Tibetans shares same religion, culture, language and
tradition with us and we are pained to see beating of protesting
Buddhist monks whom we revere very highly.

The Sherpa community have urged the government of Nepal to stop the double standard of dealing with the Tibetan refugees.

Ang Dawa Sherpa, an elected legislature, CPM, Nepal, has said it
is absolutely necessary to strive for the preservation of this rich
cultural heritage of Tibet, which is based on Buddhist philosophy, if
we are aspiring for peace and stability in China, Tibet, India, our
country Nepal and the world.

“We all Nepali Buddhist citizens of Himalayan region must stand
in solidarity with the Tibetans in their difficult times. It is our
social responsibility to help our neighbor when in difficulty. Although
we may not be able to help physically and financially, yet even
expression of our concerns and our solidarity will contribute towards
reliving some pain and suffering,” he said in his article titled
‘People in Nepal should support Tibet’ in an official newspaper of the
Government of Nepal, ‘Gorkhapatra Daily’, on 18 May.