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VOL. 27, NO. 30, April 04, 2008 (Chaitra 22 2064 B.S.)
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ANTI-CHINA DEMONSTRATIONS
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Northern Concern
Organized by Tibetan refugees based in Nepal, anti-China demonstrations worries Nepal's northern neighbor
By A CORRESPONDENT
After silently watching the well planned and well orchestrated anti-China demonstrations in front of their embassy for more than three weeks, Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin publicly expressed worries and concern about growing activities directed against China.
For the past three weeks, about five dozen Tibetan refugees including some monks have routinely gathered in front of Counselor section of Chinese Embassy in Naxal chanting anti-China slogans. Instead of preventing them from organizing these acts, Nepalese police has performed routine duty by detaining them on the spot and releasing them after few hours in police custody.
These acts of Tibetan refugees have attracted huge publicity in western world enough for international human rights organizations to condemn China. Although Nepalese government supports one China policy and has committed not to allow anti-China activities in its soil, recent activities show that Nepal is unable to monitor Tibetan refugees' activities hostile to China.
Raising all kinds of slogans against China, refugees are roaming freely inside Nepal as well as crossing the open border existing between Nepal and India to travel to Dharamshala, India where Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama is based.
In a first public appearance through a press conference, Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin expressed his government's stand that China will not tolerate any attempt to destabilize Tibet. "Any secessionist attempt to sabotage Tibet's stability will not gain public support and will fail," said the Chinese ambassador. "The recent riot was the result of a conspiracy by followers of the Dalai Lama and it is the conspiracy jointly made by domestic and overseas separatists who are advocating " Tibet independence".
Chinese ambassador revealed that they are watching very closely the anti-China activities in Nepal organized by 'Dalai's clique' in Nepal and said that Nepalese government has given clear assurance to China that they will not allow the use of Nepalese soil against China.
China had already fought a decade of armed insurgency in Tibet launched from the bases inside Nepal. The nuns and monks seem to have taken the new base in Nepal, which China sees as a serious threat to its security.
As Beijing Olympics approaches, Tibetan refugees living in Nepal are making efforts to put pressure on China using various methods. Making noisy demonstrations regularly is one of them.
Under Nepal's One China policy, Nepal is firm to act against any anti-China activities. But Nepalese government is in difficult position to contain Tibetan thanks to the growing pressure from western countries and western human rights groups.
Nervous by the response from China, home ministry officials said that they have been making all out efforts to contain anti-China activities. "We are closely monitoring activities of Tibetan refugees. It is the policy of the government not to allow anti-China activities in Nepal," said the official. "As a refugee, they have to abide by the law of the country."
After nearly three weeks long demonstrations, Chinese ambassador- who rarely addresses the press meet - has expressed his government's concern at the well orchestrated and well planned demonstrations.
Till now, only Nepal's southern neighbor India had expressed its security concern pointing to ISI activities in Nepal showing the presence of Kashmiri population here. Now, Chinese, too, have pointed their growing concern through activities of Tibetans.
Tibet is known as a soft belly of China and the growing activities of Tibetan exiles in Nepal have already generated security concern of Nepal's northern neighbor.
With the intensification of Maoist insurgency and prolonging political instability, Tibetan refugees have opened a number of monasteries in and around the valley and close to northern border. As monasteries run by Tibetan monks remain major forces of recently orchestrated agitations and demonstration, they may create many worries in future.
"The Dalai clique masterminded, well planned and carefully organized severe violence on March 14 in Lhasa," said Chinese ambassador citing that the rioters' activities were "crime".
The riots in Lhasa caused heavy losses of life and property, and seriously disturbed social order. According to Chinese officials, rioters in the regional capital set fires at more than 300 locations, including homes and 214 shops, and smashed and burned 56 vehicles. Thirteen innocent civilians were burned or stabbed to death, he said, citing two cases of what he described as brutality.
The message of ambassador of Nepal's northern neighbor is clear regarding its security and Nepal, too, does not have any choice. It is not in a position to tolerate this kind of hostile activities against its northern neighbor by just detaining refugees for few hours. " Nepal has to tell frankly to Tibetan refugees that they have to respect the law of host country," said a China expert.
" Nepal cannot play double game permitting demonstration and showing certain restraints, using police for other's consumption. When China expresses a strong support to Nepal's integrity and sovereignty whenever Nepal is in crisis, Nepal has to reciprocate by doing similar things to China," said the China expert.
