12 January 2010
A well known blogger, poet and literary figure within the Nepalese community in Hong Kong has accused the Hong Kong Police of racial discrimination. Tanka Smabahamphe, a Nepalese poet and blogger, was arrested on 20 December by the police in connection with a rape case. He was then released on bail on 30 December after being held in custody for over 10 days.
He organised a press conference last Sunday, where he claimed his innocence and revealed the details of the incident and accused the police of racial insensitivity and discrimination.
According to Smabahamphe, a Chinese woman had been raped by three persons and she had told the police that the rapists were South Asians. The incident happened on the nearby building of his residence. He happened to be returning home from his work when the police arrested him on suspicion of being one of the assailants.
He said the arrest by police and consequently being held in custody for over 10 days was racially motivated. He said the incident has defamed him, caused him tremendous psychological pressure, financial loss and the legal hassle to defend himself from a case in which he had nothing to do with in the first place. He is considering filing suit against the police on charges of racial discrimination.
Several Nepalese community leaders present during the press conference expressed confidence in his innocence and offered solidarity in fighting against the racial discrimination.
This comes at a time, where a trial is ongoing in the Coroner's Court over the death of a homeless Nepalese man by the shooting of police in March 2009. The shooting incident caused an uproar in the Nepalese community and a protest rally of over 5000 Nepalese people protested against the Hong Kong Police. The trial of the shooting incident is being keenly watched by the Nepalese here in Hong Kong.
