Tibetans protest after NZ Post covers up stamps

Auckland (New Zealand), Oct.24 (ANI): An Auckland Tibetan group plans to file a complaint against New Zealand Post because stamps on its mail depicting the Tibetan flag are being pasted over with the company's airmail stickers.

A New Zealand Post spokesman was however quoted by the New Zealand Herald as saying that allowing the group to print the stamps was a mistake, and the act of covering the stamps was deliberate because the group had breached terms and conditions for the stamps' use.

Friends of Tibet New Zealand had issued two stamps with images of the Tibetan flag on October 1 - China's 60th National Day - to mark 50 years of "illegal occupation" by China.

"The labels are governed by terms and conditions including the right of New Zealand Post to decline use of an image for a number of reasons, including those associated with any political cause," said the New Zealand Post spokesman.

"The labels in this case were produced in error, contrary to the terms and conditions, and provided to the customer," he added.

He said the group had been informed, and New Zealand Post "chose to cover the images where we could" when it found out the stamps had already been distributed.

Friends of Tibet chairman Thuten Kesang said the group paid 4700 dollars to produce 1500 stamps in one dollar and 50 cent denominations.

"We paid good money to produce those stamps, and it is only right that its use be treated as no different to any other New Zealand Post postage," he said. (ANI)