A Tibetan nun and youth were shot dead on 30 September 2006 as they were crossing the Nanapa-la mountain pass from Tibet into Nepal.  They were murdered by Chinese border guards.  Four Directions has every reason to believe that this is not an isolated incident, judging by the testimonies of refugees who, in the past, have sucessfully made the crossing and then gone on to exile in India.  The difference this time is that the shootings were witnessed and filmed by Westerners.

The Nangpa pass rises nearly 19,000 feet above sea level and is to the west of Mount Everest. On this crossing, as well as interception by border guards, Tibetans risk hypothermia, snow blindness, frostbite and falling.  From Nangpa-la, the journey forward to Kathmandu can take several more days putting the Tibetans at further risk of arrest by Nepalese border police and robbery by bandits.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kathmandu each year processes around 2,500 Tibetans as "of concern," a designation that provides some measure of protection while they receive immediate care in Nepal and then continue on to India.

The 30 September outrage was witnesses by over 60 western climbers at Cho Oyu Advance Base Camp.  Their consistent accounts say that the armed Chinese knelt down, took aim and opened fire.  On 12 October China finally responded to repeated questioning from the media and stated that the soldiers had been attacked and fired in self-defence.  This is strongly refuted by the independent witnesses.

The refugee group included at least 14 children of whom the youngest was just six years old.  Eventually forty-one refugees escaped into Nepal, some having been forced to hide in the snow for many hours after the shootings.  Kelsang Namtso, a 17 year old nun and Kunsang Namgyal, a 20 year old youth, were both killed.  Approximately twenty-seven of the group remain unaccounted for.  British climber, police officer Steve Lawes, said that about half an hour after the shootings 10 to 12 Tibetan children were marched through the Advance Base Camp by soldiers armed with assault rifles.

The following Tibetans are known to have been arrested following the shootings:
Tenwang, age 7
Lhakpa Dolma, age 8
Dhondup Lhamo, age 9
Karma Tsethar, age 9
Dechen Dolma, age 10
Sonam Phuntsok, age 10
Wangchen, age 11
Tsedon, age 12
Sonam Wangdue, age 13
Ming Shomo, age 13
Lodoe Nyima, age 15
Jigme Phuntsok, age 15
Jamyang Tsetan, age 16
Karma Tsetan, age 16
Lodoe Namkha, age 16
Jampel Tsetan, age 16
Karma, age 19
Samten, age 19
Gatsok, age 19
Dhondup Palden, age 21
Sonam Palzom, age 22
Kusang Namgyal, age 22 (shot in the leg, medical condition unknown)
Lobsang Paljor, age 33
Tsering Choegyal, age 33 (monk)

The shootings and arrests are in direct contravention of Article 13(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which says "Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country".

The UK based Free Tibet Campaign has set up an action on this case; to take action please click here

Amnesty instigated an action for the Tibetans who were apprehended; click here for details