Key facts
- Nepal's government has cancelled a major international conference on Tibetan studies.
- The cancellation followed objections from China.
- The conference was organized by the International Association for Tibetan Studies and managed by Kathmandu University.
- Organizers confirmed the event would be moved online.
- Nepal's government denied issuing official orders for the cancellation.
Nepal's government has forced a major international conference on Tibetan studies out of Kathmandu after China objected to the gathering, prompting accusations of state interference in academic freedom. The seminar, organized by the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS) and managed by the Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies at Kathmandu University, was slated to take place from August 23 to 26.
Academic organizers confirmed that top state officials directly requested the cancellation without providing an official written explanation. Prof. Sagar Raj Sharma from the host center verified that the university complied with the directive to halt event preparations. While government representatives have not issued a formal public statement, the cancellation aligns with Nepal's policy of restricting activities that could affect its relationship with China.
Beijing, which has maintained tight control over Tibet since 1951, actively restricts political and cultural expressions outside party approval. Nepal hosts thousands of Tibetan refugees and authorities consistently maintain a strict stance against any platforms that could be interpreted as anti-China activity. Security forces routinely monitor public spaces and enforce boundaries during events related to Tibetan culture.
Organizers confirmed that the conference would proceed online, with IATS acting president Francoise Robin calling it a "very regrettable and worrying development." Nepal's government, however, denied issuing any orders for the cancellation, with Hem Raj Aryal, spokesperson at the prime minister's office, stating that the event was postponed on its own. Top Indian intelligence sources indicated that Nepal's security agencies had cleared the conference, but their assessment was overruled amid diplomatic and political pressure from Beijing.