By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Ignoring pressure by the Chinese government on its tiny neighbour Nepal to suppress activities related to exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan diaspora in the country Thursday hailed him, reliving the triumphant moment 19 years ago when he was conferred the Nobel peace prize.
On Dec 10, observed as Human Rights Day worldwide, the Tibetan community of Nepal as well as Buddhists from the Himalayan region took out a prominent advertisement in a local newspaper, felicitating the 74-year-old Dalai Lama as well as the current recipient of the award, US President Barack Obama.
“On Dec 10, 1990 Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace prize for his prominent contribution to help bring peace and harmony into this world by consistently supporting the use of nonviolence for people’s freedom and human rights,” said the advertisement, carrying a smiling photograph of the red-robe clad monk side by side with that of Obama.
“We want to remember this great historical moment with pride and wish him further success in building peace in this world.”
The gesture comes close on the heels of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders reporting that two young Tibetans – identified as Gyaltsing and Nyima Wangdu – had been sentenced to three years in prison for posting photographs of the Dalai Lama on the Internet.
Though China conquered Tibet nearly six decades ago, it still remains deeply wary of the Dalai Lama, the god-king of the former Buddhist kingdom to whom many Tibetans still swear deep allegiance.
In Tibet, including the Potala Palace in Lhasa city where the Dalai Lama lived before fleeing to India, the authorities have removed all his images.
The effort is on even in Nepal where the Nepal government has been cracking down on efforts by the Tibetan refugees to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s birthday or anniversaries of a failed uprising in Tibet against Chinese annexation.
China pressured Nepal into closing down the office of the Dalai Lama’s representative in Kathmandu and this year, the nameplate outside the building, once bearing the legend: House of the Dalai Lama – was tarred over.
Nepal police have also begun cracking down on Tibetans trying to flee to India, where the exiled Dalai Lama lives, via Nepal.
At least 100 people are suspected to have attempted the crossover through high mountain passes since last month.
Unlike in the past, when the Nepal authorities usually turned a blind eye to the arrival of the Tibetan refugees, now, after repeated urgings by visiting Chinese delegations, border patrols have intensified in north Nepal, resulting in nearly 40 refugees being arrested, including women and children.
Nepal police have intensified vigilance in the Barabise area in northern Sindhupalchowk district which was apparently being used by Tibetan refugees this autumn.
All the arrested refugees have been handed over to the immigration authorities for investigation and necessary action, police said. In the past, following a “gentlemen’s agreement”, Nepal used to hand over arrested Tibetan refugees to the UN agency for refugees that facilitated their onward journey to India.