Int'l rights watchdog flays arbitrary arrest and detention of Tibetan protestors in Nepal

The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concerns over the Nepal Police "arbitrary" intervention on the demonstrations organized by Tibetan exiles in Kathmandu in protest of the Chinese government 'crackdown on the pro-independence struggle in Tibet'.

In its letter to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Tuesday, the New-York based rights watch dog said that it is concerned by restriction imposed by the Nepali government "on the rights of movement, assembly and expression of the Tibetan community in Nepal", reminding at the same time that as a party to the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) the government is "responsible for the protection of the human rights of any individual living within its borders."

HRW said ever since March 10 when the Nepal police dispersed a peaceful gathering organized by the Tibetan community to mark the Tibetan Uprising Day, over 1,500 Tibetan protestors have been arbitrarily arrested and detained.

Nepal Police have however been denying that they have resorted to using excessive force against the Tibetan protestors, adding that they have just been rounding up the protestors and releasing them after few hours to avoid any untoward incident.

"The Police have provided no legal justification for the arrests and detention to national and international human rights organization. The Home Ministry has explicitly stated that no "anti-China activities" will take place in Nepal," said HRW in the letter.

Saying that it has documented "unnecessary and excessive use of force during arrests", HRW appealed that the government should immediately restore the rights of freedom of assembly, expression and movement by allowing Tibetans to go about their daily lives and carry out "peaceful protests" without fear of arrests or threat of deportation. nepalnews.com ag Apr 01 08