Kathmandu (AsiaNews/Agencies) - About 100 Tibetans living in the Nepali capital have been arrested in the past five days for allegedly taking part in a demonstration against China's crimes in Tibet, despite the fact that no protest action has taken place. In so doing, Nepali authorities continue to deny ethnic Tibetans the right to protest against the Chinese regime, showing once more their staunch support for Beijing's anti-Tibetan policies. Nepal is home to some 22,000 Tibetan exiles.
The latest wave of arrests came on the 53rd anniversary of Tibet's uprising against Chinese rule under Mao Zedong, following the People's Liberation Army's takeover of the mountain nation.
Police arrested six people last Saturday, anniversary of the uprising. An additional 94 were arrested yesterday, anniversary of the bloody crackdown in 2008 in Lhasa. Tinley Lama, the Tibetan Welfare Office coordinator for Nepal, was among those taken into custody by police on Wednesday.
Eyewitness accounts say police arrested Tibetan exiles in the street even though they were not involved in any protest action.
"This year, there were no formal organised protests. Those who were arrested were either volunteers or activists," a source said on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
With Kathmandu crawling with police in anti-riot gear, "There seems no possibility of more protests" in the capital. "However, we are closely watching developments in Tibet. If the situation there worsens, more demonstrations could happen," the source added.
Nepal is heavily dependent on China's economy in terms of imports and exports.
After years of domestic strife, the Nepali government has become an ardent supporter of Beijing's 'One China' policy, which views Hong Kong, Tibet, Taiwan and Macau as part of the fatherland.
Hence, Nepali authorities have been harsh with critics of Beijing.