Nepal on alert to stop Tibetan protest

KATMANDU, Nepal - Police in the Nepalese capital are on alert to stop protests by Tibetan refugees, including any attempts to self-immolate, next week to mark the anniversary of the failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, officials said Monday.

Police official Ganesh K.C. said police officers in Katmandu were on alert and that monitoring had been stepped up.

"We even had the Tibetans self-immolating last year. We are trying to make sure that such things are not repeated," K.C. said without providing details.

Tibetan refugees in Nepal regularly demonstrate against Chinese rule over their homeland, and two set themselves on fire and died last year in Nepal.

Nepal does not allow protests near the Chinese embassy and key areas, saying it cannot allow activities against friendly nations.

In the past Tibetans in Nepal have attempted to storm the Chinese embassy, while the Chinese government has repeatedly pressured Nepal to stop the protests. Protesters are generally removed from the areas and detained for few hours.

Thousands of Tibetans refugees live in Nepal and many travel through Nepal on the way to Dharmasala, India, where the Dalai Lama lives and the self-declared exile government is based.