China restricts movement of Nepalis along border
Even as the Nepal government thinks that it is just doing a job of a good
neighbour by breaking up anti-China protests by exiled Tibetans in the
capital Kathmandu almost on a daily basis from the past few months,
arresting hundreds of demonstrators calling for 'Free Tibet' in front of
Chinese embassy consular section, China seems not to be repaying the
favour. This even as Nepal has been coming under intense criticism from
international human rights agencies for its handling of the protests.
On Monday over 300 hundred Tibetan protesters chanting anti-Chinese
slogans and demanding human rights in Tibet were forced into waiting
police vans and trucks and driven off to detention centers in the biggest
such protest in Nepal this month just days ahead of the start of the
Olympic Games in Beijing. Like always, the protesters were freed within
hours.
However, a reports coming out from Gorkha says that due to the restriction
imposed by China on Nepali people to enter Tibet for the last six months,
villagers in northern parts of the district have been facing a shortage of
essentials.
Keeping in view the agitation launched by Tibetan activists in Lhasa and
the approaching Beijing Olympics, China had deployed armies in Bhila and
Ghyal entry points and restricted the movement of Nepalis to Tibet, locals
told RSS.
The report said that people in Chekampar, Sama and seven other VDCs depend
on Kerung market in Tibet to buy essentials. However, the restriction has
forced the villagers in the northern parts to travel to Arughat of the
district by walking five days to purchase daily essentials. They have tospare 15 days on travel to and from Arughat, as it takes 10 days to return
to villages from Arughat.
Worse, the rural road linking Gorkha district headquarters and
Dhadingbeshi has remained closed due to monsoon season.
Villagers are also deprived of selling valuable herbs, including
Yarchagumba, in Tibetan markets due to the closure of the border, a local
of Chekampar VDC, Chring Lama said.
Lama said Yarshgumba collectors and businessmen have incurred heavy losses
this year due to the border closure.
Lama said. Lama said Yarshgumba collectors and businessmen have incurred
heavy losses this year due to the border closure. nepalnews.com ag Aug 06 08
