13 May 2008
China "unhappy” with Nepal’s handling of Tibetan protests
(Kantipur) The Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin has expressed "serious dissatisfaction" over the ongoing anti-China protests being held by Tibetan exiles in Kathmandu. He urged the Nepal government to adopt strict measures to curb such "separatist activities". "I hope the Nepal government can honestly carry out its commitment and not allow these anti-Chinese activities to happen so rapidly in Nepal", Zheng told an audience at the Reporters' Club, Nepal. He also said that the government should adopt "severe measures" to curb the demonstrations. His comments were made despite widespread condemnation of the tactics used by the Nepali police. The United Nations and diplomatic missions, as well as NGO groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW), have complained to the Nepali government about police brutality, and HRW said in a report last month that Tibetan exiles "are entitled to peaceful expression and assembly". The American Ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell also conveyed the US government’s concern about the treatment of Tibetans by Nepali authorities, becoming the first envoy to do so since the diaspora began their protests against events in Lhasa nearly two months ago. Zheng, however, said that UN agencies and human rights organisations had provoked the situation. "UN Agency staff were present at every demonstration that occurred, I don't know what is the purpose of human rights organisations in Nepal", he said. "Are they here to supervise the human rights of Tibet?"