Tibetans briefly clash with police after mass prayer in Bouddha

KATHMANDU, March 10: Nearly 800 Tibetan monks and nuns joined in a mass prayer at the Samten Ling monastery in Bouddha Tuesday morning to mark the 50th anniversary of a failed uprising in Tibet that culminated in the Dalai Lama’s exile. [break]



Though the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office in Lazimpat that formerly served as the office of the Tibetan government in exile ruled out any anti-China protests in Nepal, some 50 Tibetans briefly clashed with police after the prayer was over.






Bouddha’s police chief, Deputy Superintendent Om Rana, told myrepublica.com that the youths chanted "Free Tibet" slogans and briefly clashed with police. “The situation is fully under control now,” he said.



Police had almost bundled up some protesters in a truck for detention. They were freed minutes later after the tension subsided.



Police said there were no other reports of anti-China protests in the capital till Tuesday noon. So far, there is no security threat around the Chinese Embassy in Baluwatar and the visa office in Hattisar where security was bolstered on Monday.






Members of the Tibetan Youth Congress who were active last year in organizing anti-China protests in Kathmandu could not be contacted for ascertaining whether there is any possibility of protests later in the day. The Congress is a global association of Tibetans fighting for complete independence of Tibet.



The government has increased security presence along the Nepal-China border in Sindhupalchowk after a meeting with Chinese border security officials earlier this week.

Under pressure from China, the government hinted at tough measures to check anti-China protests this year by arresting Tibetans from a marketplace in Kathmandu last month. Nine of the arrested Tibetans were handed over to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees on March 1.






Though thousands of Tibetan exiles are believed to be living in Nepal without valid travel documents, Nepal has historically been lenient on them. Another 20,000 Tibetans are living in Nepal with valid refugee status.



Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that homemade bombs damaged police vehicles in a Tibetan part of western China Monday triggering an expanded security cordon by Chinese security personnel.



Chinese armed police are patrolling Buddhist monasteries to prevent protests. Internet and text messaging have been blocked in the Chinese-Tibetan city of Kangding and foreigners have been ordered to leave the city following the explosions.