Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - The International Commission of Jurists (JCJ) and various groups of activists have slammed the Nepali government for snatching the body of a Tibetan monk who set himself on fire to criticise Chinese oppression.
The monk, Nyidon Karma Gyatso, self-immolated himself on 5 August. His family and the Tibetan Buddhist community want his body for formal burial, but the government continues to refuse.
"We are deeply concerned about Nepal's defiance of laws and international obligations," said in a statement Sam Zarifi, Asia Director for the ICJ.
After his self-immolation, near a stupa, Gyatso was taken to Tribhuvan University hospital, but could not be saved.
Since then, the government has kept the body from the family for final rites and placed it under military guard.
A few days ago, acting on behalf of the family, the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office requested Karma Nyidon Gyatso's body be handed over, without success.
According to the ICJ, the refusal to hand over the monk's remains for funeral arrangements contravenes Nepal's own laws, which guarantee the right to religion, including the right to practice and perform one's culture.
"We fear that taking back the dead body to Tibet may escalate violence and anti-China movements," said Madav Prasad Poudel, government spokesman and minister of Information.
"We can't provoke anti-China movement in Tibet" because China is "a good neighbour," he explained.
With the rise to power of Nepal's Communist and Maoists parties after the abolition of the monarchy in 2008, the country's new rulers pursued closer relations with China at the expense of its historic ally, India.
In exchange for economic aid, Beijing demanded the closure of Nepal's borders with Tibet and a crackdown against any expression of anti-Chinese feelings.