China handles Tibet protests in Greece, Nepal

Chinese embassy officials in Kathmandu on March 10 with the handling of clashes between Nepalese police and Tibetans carrying out demonstrations for an important Tibetan anniversary, March 10 National Uprising Day.

In Greece, too, Chinese officials filmed Tibetan activists and were caught on camera attempting to impede a peaceful protest by Tibetans linked to the Olympics in Olympia, ancient site of the first Olympics.

Images taken by observers show Chinese Embassy officials working behind police lines in Kathmandu, and attempting to prevent their photograph being taken by an American observer, who reported that they spat at him.

It has been well known in Nepal that due to strong Chinese influence on the multi-party government, the Chinese embassy issues instructions to the Nepalese Home Ministry to direct the police on various important Tibetan anniversaries. But the Chinese embassy was visible on the streets with the Nepalese police, and according to one observer, Chinese officials were "directing them, positioning them, [and] telling them to remove people".

An estimated several thousand Tibetans gathered at the Buddhist stupa in the Boudha neighborhood of Kathmandu on March 10, waving the Tibetan national flag and shouting pro-Tibet slogans to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa in 1959. Police used batons to halt attempts by protestors to move the demonstration to the Chinese embassy, reportedly injuring more than 20 protestors and detaining at least 100 more.

An eyewitness in Kathmandu told International Campaign for Tibet that there was a confrontation between the demonstrators and police at the bridge below Batpatini. The observer said: "In five police vans and two trucks, they were able to apprehend about 50 Tibetans, while another 20 or so ran in various directions. During the attempt to apprehend all of them, many Tibetan demonstrators were beaten with sticks and billy clubs, kicked, and punched. The altercation took less than 15 minutes before they cleared the area.

At least 100 Tibetans were detained temporarily following the protests, and most of them were held in the courtyard at Gosala police post near Pashupati. Around a dozen Tibetans were detained in Boudha police station, and there were reports that some were hit with lathis and punched. Family members of the detained and supporters gathered around the police station, where they were being held, urging officials to release those who were arrested. Most of the detained are believed to have been released without charge later in the day.

One observer familiar with Tibetan protests told ICT: "The number of [Nepalese] police in full riot gear, fanned out across the city, counting at least ten intersections with over 25 policemen, and 450 policemen posted in front of the Chinese embassy alone (along with three police dogs), was a show of planning and coordination that has not been seen before."

Five Chinese and one Tibetan staff at the embassy, in plain clothes were positioned in front the Chinese embassy. When an American man photographing the demonstrations was was taking pictures of the two embassy Chinese officials telling the policeman where to stand to block the intersection, the two Chinese men tried to stop him, and upon walking up to the observer, one spat on him and the camera. While the American left, Chinese officials yelled in English to the Nepalese police man to apprehend the American and take the camera away, which the Nepalese police did not act upon.

In another example of China's interference, Chinese embassy officials were caught on film on Monday by the BBC at Olympia, Greece, objecting to a peaceful protest by Tibetan activists at the ancient site that is the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The Chinese embassy officials filmed Tibet protestors