WikiLeaks: China pays Nepal to arrest Tibetans

CNN IBN
Kathmandu: Amid stepped up pressure on the government to curb anti-Beijing protests by Tibetans in Nepal, China has used its financial muscle to pay off Nepal Police to arrest members of the exiled community, according to secret US cables published by WikiLeaks.

Cables released by the whistle-blower website show an unnamed source of the US Embassy in New Delhi repeatedly claiming that "Chinese government rewards Nepali forces by providing financial incentives to officers who hand over Tibetans attempting to exit China".

"XXX reiterated this belief to PolOff (Political Officer) during a XXX meeting in Delhi, stating ''the Chinese government rewards (Nepali forces)'' by providing financial incentives to officers who hand over Tibetans attempting to exit China," according to the cable dated February 22, 2010 from New Delhi.

The US Embassy memo sent to US Department of State under the title ''Delhi Diary'' and classified as ''confidential'' has an update on Tibetan refugee flow that described a meeting of the source with Political Officer on February 4.

The Wikileaks, which is releasing 250,000 American diplomatic cables, has cut out the names of people mentioned as the source.

The number of Tibetans entering India had decreased over the last few years, amid mounting pressure on the government as ?Beijing has asked Kathmandu to step up patrols of Nepali border forces and make it more difficult for Tibetans to enter Nepal," according to the cables also reported by myrepublica online, the website of Nepali daily Republica.

It said the number of Tibetans entering India "markedly decreased after March 2008 uprising".

Nepal is home to around 20,000 exiled Tibetans and the capital has been the scene of several anti-China protests since the 2008 unrest in Lhasa.

Nepal has been under pressure from Western nations to allow the protests--and from China to stop them. Beijing has repeatedly asked Nepal to better control the Tibetan refugees within its borders and stop the protests.

These protests have been a source of embarrassment to Nepal''s government, which wants strong ties with China. Nepal supports ''one-China policy'' that views Tibet as an integral part of China. It has repeatedly assured its giant northern neighbour that it will not allow its territory to be used against it.

Nepal has stepped up security and warned Tibetans exiles against organising anti-China protests.

Despite tight security enforced by the Nepalese and Chinese government in the border areas, every year 2,500-3000 Tibetans cross the border on their way to meet the Dalai Lama in the Indian town of Dharamshala, where he is based since fleeing from his motherland in 1959.