At least nine Tibetan protestors were injured in a clash between the police and agitators gathered in front of the UN House in Pulchowk, Monday. Tibetan protestors reached the UN building to submit a memorandum at the UN seeking international pressure on China against the crackdown in Lhasa.

The clash erupted after demonstrators refused to stop protests and leave the premises of UN House at about 9:30 am Monday, according to police. Police resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters.

A Tibetan volunteer, who participated in the rally, said they rushed at least five injured persons to hospital. Two of the injured are currently undergoing treatment at Patan Hospital, while three others have been admitted to TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj.

“Police indiscriminately resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells, inflicting head injury on many protestors,” he alleged, preferring anonymity.

Police also arrested at least 48 persons including five monks and a nun in the ensuing clash. Three persons including a monk among the arrested were critically injured. They were admitted at Birendra Police Hospital following repeated requests from the arrested.

The agitating Tibetans also held peaceful demonstration in front of the UN House at about 1:45 pm today. Police rained batons and arrested 15 other agitators. A person injured by tear gas shells was admitted at Bir Hospital, said a volunteer. All those arrested were released later in the evening.

Meanwhile, Tibetan refugees held a peace rally in Pokhara on Monday protesting the killing and suppression of Tibetan protestors in Lhasa. The protestors gathered in front of the regional office of UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) and walked past different parts of the city, urging the UN to help restore human rights in Tibet.

OHCHR concerned over

use of force

UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concern over excessive use of force by police against demonstrators in Lalitpur. “I urge the government to respect its obligations under international human rights law and to uphold the fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” the statement quoted Richard Bennett, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as saying.

The statement also clarified that UN had never asked police to intervene in the rally. “At no time have police been requested by the UN to intervene in peaceful protests in front of UN House,” the statement quoted UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Robert Piper as saying.

Chinese Embassy denies suppression

Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, on Monday said ‘the so-called suppression’ against Tibetan protestors was ‘baseless’. “In order to protect social stability and safeguard the personal safety and property of people in Tibet, the concerned department of the government of TAR legally took effective measures to handle this riot,” said the embassy statement.

The embassy also charged that the protest was ‘organized’, ‘premeditated’ and ‘well planned’ by the “Dalai clique” with the intention of instigating discord at a sensitive period before the Beijing Olympics.

Tight surveillance of Nepalis in Lhasa

CHAUTARA - Local administration in Lhasa has directed all Nepalis entering the territory to carry their identity cards. Likewise, Tibetan authorities have also stepped up surveillance of Nepalis in local hotels, offices and of all Nepalis entering Lhasa. According to Nepali businessmen in Lhasa, Tibetan police have asked Nepalis to come out of their offices only in the evening time. Some 300 Nepalis, mostly businessmen and transport workers, reach Tibet everyday. (c) ekantipur