US embassy cable - 02KATHMANDU976

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000976 
 
SIPDIS 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
BEIJING PASS CHENGDU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2012 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, PREL, NP, Tibetan Refugees 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON TIBETAN REFUGEES 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 497 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski, Reasons 1.5 (b), (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary.  The Tibet border is "very quiet" and most 
newly arrived refugees have not faced problems, according to 
UNHCR and the Office of Tibet.  Nepali police garnered praise 
for their efforts to escort a large group of Tibetans from 
the Nangpa region to Kathmandu, an operation which UNHCR 
hopes marks a return to "normal procedures."  News of the 
troubling security situation in Nepal could be a factor in 
the decline of refugee arrivals, UNHCR believes.  Lawyers 
from a leading human rights organization plan to litigate the 
case of eleven Tibetan refugees from India jailed on 
immigration violations.  End Summary. 
 
Return to "Normal Procedures" as Police Escort 29 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
2. (C) The refugee situation on the Tibet border is "very 
quiet," according to both a UNHCR protection officer and the 
Office of Tibet representative.  Most new arrivals have not 
faced any problems.  During the week of May 12, police 
escorted a group of 29 refugees from the Amdo region of Tibet 
to Kathmandu without incident, UNHCR confirmed.  The group 
had crossed into Nepal at Nangpa Pass.  The Office of Tibet 
was "pleasantly surprised" to learn that the police treated 
the group very well and even provided them with food and 
water.  UNHCR noted that recently there have been few 
instances of police escorting Tibetan refugees to the 
capital.  UNHCR hoped that last week's incident marked a 
return to the "normal procedures" previously in effect. 
 
3. (C) The Tibet Office noted that in the previous week a 
small group of five or six crossing at Nangpa Pass had been 
robbed of all their money.  Even so, this group was able to 
reach Kathmandu for onward processing. 
 
4. (C) The number of new arrivals at the Tibetan Reception 
Center in Kathamndu continues to be off compared to previous 
years.  UNHCR Kathmandu commented May 20 that explanations 
for the decline vary, but it could be that people in Tibet 
have heard news of the troubling security situation in Nepal. 
 
Still No Prospects for Eleven Jailed Tibetans 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
5. (C) There has been no change in the status of eleven 
Tibetan refugees from India jailed by Nepal on immigration 
charges (Reftel).  Lawyers from the Human Rights Organization 
of Nepal (HURON) see litigation as the only possible solution 
and plan to take the case to court. 
MALINOWSKI