Letter from William Gomes: Nepal Police Crackdown

Source: http://williamgomes.org/

3rd November 2011

Mr. Maina Kiai
Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Email : freeassembly@ohchr.org

Re: Nepal police crackdown on the peaceful assembly of Tibetan exiles

Dear Mr. Maina Kiai,

I am William Nicholas Gomes, a Bangladeshi journalist and Human rights activist.

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the Nepal police crackdown on the peaceful assembly of Tibetan exiles.

Our source in Nepal confirmed that on 2nd of November 2011, Nepalese police detained more than 60 Tibetan refugees as they demonstrated in support of Buddhist monks who have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule in their homeland.

Our source also confirmed that Ministry of State Security (MSS) officer, along with the political sections , directed by Ambassador Yang Houlan of Chinese Embassy in Nepal counsel with the high officials of Nepal government and police arbitrarily arrest, illegally detained and tortured peaceful Tibetan exiles .

Our source who was present in the spot during the attack of police on peaceful Tibetan said Tibetan exiles held a memorial service at Jawalakhel Settlement on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Before that there was a notable presence of intelligence officials on that area. Police surrounded the venue for the religious service and blocked the entrance before the service started.

Our source said, the Tibetan they were hanging up a giant picture of the Dalai Lama and a banner accusing China, a large number of police officers rushed towards them and took the picture and banner away. In this humiliation of the religious leaders and on protest of attack of police on peaceful assembly peaceful Tibetan then rushed into the streets to protest, whereupon the police immediately began to arrest and torture the protesters.

Many of the peaceful protesters were hit with rifle butts; many peaceful protesters were seriously injured.

Nepalese police also broke into the houses of Tibetan exiles and arrested about 20 young Tibetans.

Nepalese government has taken a strong stand against Tibetan exiles whose protests in support of their homeland have increased in recent years.

I share my serious concern has serious concerns about the new Nepali government’s intentions concerning human rights and accountability. Numerous human rights organizations both national and international have raised serious concerns about repeated attempts of the government to provide blanket amnesty to the perpetrators of gross human rights violations on Tibetan exiles.

This is inconsistent with Nepal’s human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and denies victims their fundamental right to legal redress. The attitudes of Nepali government towards Tibetan exiles signifies the institutionalization of impunity and undermine the future prospects for the establishment of a democratic, stable Nepal based on human rights. It is time to bring this trend to an end and to put the Nepal peace process on track by addressing the issues of accountability and justice.

In light of the seriousness of the allegations mentioned above, I urge your urgent intervention on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

William Nicholas Gomes
Journalist and Human Rights Activist
80/ B Bramon Chiron, Saydabad,
Dhaka-1203, Bangladesh.

CC.

1. Representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, NEPAL
2. President of the United Nations General Assembly
2. United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, SWITZERLAND
3. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal, NEPAL

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