(TibetanReview.net, Oct15’19) – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s grim warnings of “crushed bodies and shattered bones” referring to the ongoing, months-long weekend protests in Hong Kong was said to have been partly prompted by his anger at failing to get an extradition deal from Nepal. The deal, if signed, would have required Nepal to extradite Tibetans who carry out any perceived anti-China activities in the country.
Numbering around 20,000, including around 9,000 in Kathmandu, their status is uncertain. Citing its ‘one China’ policy, Nepal has cracked down harshly on Tibetans engaging in any sort of activities deemed to be anti-China, including even celebrations marking the birthday of Tibet exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Besides, there have been reports of Tibetans entering the country from their Chinese ruled homeland being stopped at the border.
But now, Under Xi this is not enough. China now wants the Tibetan refugees deported back to China, starting with those who tell the international media stories about the atrocities they had suffered in Tibet, reported bitterwinter.org Oct 14. Chinese media, and pro-CCP Nepalese media, have already started their familiar campaigns, claiming that the Tibetans in Nepal are “false refugees”, the report said.
It noted that an extradition treaty was ready, and Xi visited Nepal over Oct 12-13, expecting to sign it with great fanfare. It was the first visit of a Chinese President to Nepal since 1986 after all. In addition, China would have assisted Nepal in setting up a National Defense University to train military and police personnel.
However, when Xi arrived in Kathmandu, he was informed that the Nepalese government had decided not to sign the extradition treaty, nor the agreement about the National Defense University. Nepal also refused Chinese money for building a new Parliament building and roads near the Chinese border, the report continued.
It said Xi was not happy and this was reflected in the belligerent tone of his speeches in Kathmandu. Referring to Hong Kong, he stated that “anyone attempting to split China in any part of the country will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones.”
He added that “those who engage in separatist activities in any part of China will be smashed into pieces.” Local media interpreted the words as a veiled threat to Tibet and to all who would support Tibetan refugees, the report added.
“And any external forces backing such attempts dividing China will be deemed by the Chinese people as pipe-dreaming!” the telegraph.co.uk Oct 14 quoted Xi as saying to Nepal’s prime minister KP Sharma Oli, citing Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
While 18 pacts were signed following Xi’s summit meetings with Nepalese PM K P Sharma Oli in Kathmandu on Oct 13, the proposed extradition treaty was not inked and instead a pact on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal matters was signed. This was because there were apprehensions in sections of the Nepalese government that the extradition treaty will be used to clamp down against Tibetans and deportation of Tibetans to China, reported economictimes.indiatimes.com Oct 14.
Nepal was reported to be already in trouble over the extradition treaty it had signed with India on Oct 2, 1953.
Also, there were apprehensions in sections of Nepalese government and polity over proposed defence agreement, pact on border road construction, opening of more port access by China to Nepal in special terms and Beijing’s assistance for construction of the National Defence University for Nepal, the report added.
