Thousands of Tibetans protest in Nepal

The 29th April saw a silent protest march involving thousands of Tibetan exiles take place in Nepal's capital Kathmandu.

Buddhist monks and nuns led a march of about 5,000 people holding candles and covering their mouths with masks to express solidarity for those killed during last month's violent protests in Tibet.

Starting from a hilltop temple the march proceeded to the office of the United Nation's rights group where a petition was submitted demanding the wish that international human rights observers be permitted to enter Tibet and calling for a restoration of cultural and religious freedom.

Daily anti-China protests have taken place in Nepal, which police initially attempted to stop by force.

China is a key economic donor to impoverished Nepal's economic development and has pressured Kathmandu to prevent Tibetan protests.

More than 20,000 Tibetans have lived in settlements across mountainous Nepal since fleeing their homeland after a failed uprising against the Chinese invasion and occupation of the country in 1959.

The Chinese government continues to keep Tibet totally inaccesible whilst they carry out mass arrests, brutal killings, abuses of human rights and removal of evidence of attrociaties.

The Tibetan people call on the International Community to put strong pressure on China to -

- allow free press and international human rights observers unrestricted access to Tibet
- an end to brutal killings and violent suppresion of peaceful civil demonstration in Tibet
- release of Tibetan political prisioners including the panchem lama
- extend medical assistance to injured Tibetans