US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU1193

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS, DRL, EAP/CM, PRM/ANE, G 
GENIVA FOR PLYNCH 
NEW DELHI FOR JNAIR 
BEIJING PLEASE PASS TO CHENGDU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2015 
TAGS: PREF, PHUM, PGOV, PINS, NP, Tibetan Refugees 
SUBJECT: TIBETAN WELFARE SOCIETY UPDATE 
 
REF: A. A. KATHMANDU 0891 
 
     B. B. KATHMANDU 1134 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Charge Elisabeth I. Millard; Reasons 1.4 (b/d) 
 
1. (C) Summary. UNHCR Resident Representative Abraham Abraham 
said on June 2 that he will likely meet with the Foreign 
Minister the week of June 6 to discuss the registration of a 
new UNHCR implementing partner in processing Tibetan Refugees 
passing through Nepal, the Tibetan Welfare Society.  While it 
is urgent from an operational capacity standpoint to register 
the Tibetan Welfare Society, Abraham noted that the flow of 
refugees through Nepal continues and has not been adversely 
affected by His Majesty,s Government of Nepal,s (HMGN) 
closing of the unregistered NGO office.  Abraham will also 
meet with HMGN the week of June 6 to discuss issuing refugee 
registration cards to 4418 pre-1989 resident Tibetan 
refugees.  End Summary. 
 
Tibetan Welfare Society Registration Update 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
2. (C) In a June 2 meeting in his office with PolOff, UNHCR 
Resident Representative Abraham Abraham appeared cautiously 
optimistic about the prospect of registration of the Tibetan 
Welfare Society.  Abraham said that he had been pushing the 
issue for months and was pleased to get an unsolicited call 
this week from the Foreign Ministry suggesting that the 
Foreign Minister will likely be able to meet with him the 
week of June 6 to discuss the registration.   Abraham said he 
is unaware of any issue, other than possibly changing the 
name of the NGO to take out any reference to Tibet, which 
would hold up the registration.  From UNHCR,s standpoint, as 
long as the work can continue they have no problem respecting 
HMGN,s sensitivities due to relations with China by taking 
Tibet out of the name of the NGO.  (Note: Foreign Minister 
Pandey told the Ambassador on May 29 that PRC Foreign 
Minister Zhou Gang raised the Tibetan Welfare Society with 
HMGN on his recent visit to Kathmandu. (Ref B)  End note.) 
 
3. (C) While it is urgent from an operational capacity 
standpoint to register the Tibetan Welfare Society, Abraham 
noted that the flow of refugees through Nepal continues and 
has not been adversely affected by the HMGN closing of the 
unregistered NGO office.   UNHCR officials continue to go to 
the border to educate HMGN civilian and military workers on 
what to do in case they meet Tibetan refugees.  They have 
encountered no resistance from HMGN in these efforts.   While 
they do not know what instructions HMGN is giving to 
officials on the border, UNHCR notes that these officials are 
transferred every few months and so welcome UNHCR information 
on how to deal with Tibetan refugees. 
 
4. (C) Abraham reviewed the work that UNHCR continues to do 
with Tibetan refugees.  He said that there are new arrivals 
almost daily and stressed that UNHCR is able to meet their 
commitment to protect and process these refugees even thought 
there is currently no implementing organization in place. 
The protecting and processing work is being done directly by 
UNHCR headquarters, staff deployed to the field, at times 
necessitating the staff to neglect their work at 
headquarters.  Abraham stated that this situation can not 
continue indefinitely as Geneva headquarters is pressuring 
him to find a new implementing partner if the Tibetan Welfare 
Society can not be registered in the near future.  As there 
is currently no other implementing NGO in Nepal with the 
capacity or capability to work with Tibetan refugees without 
a steep learning curve, Abraham firmly believes that the best 
way forward is the speedy registration of the Tibetan Welfare 
Society.   He notes that he can not work with any 
organization in an unregistered state as that would leave 
UNHCR in a vulnerable legal position.  For example, if 
someone at an unregistered NGO was found to be embezzling 
funds the UNHCR would have no legal recourse with that 
organization. 
 
Pre-1989 Refugees Registration Cards 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
5. (C) Abraham shared positive news of movement on the issue 
of refugee registration cards (RCs).  UNHCR sent a letter in 
November 2004 to the Home Minister requesting HMGN to issue 
RCs to 4418 pre-1989 resident Tibetan refugees.  Without RC 
cards, resident Tibetan refugee children who had reached the 
age of sixteen (the age when youth were previously issued 
RCs) are without any identification, increasing their 
vulnerability and making the pursuit of university education 
in Nepal difficult if not impossible.  UNHCR sent a follow-up 
letter in March 2005.  On June 1, 2005 the Home Ministry 
finally called UNHCR to set up a meeting in the week of June 
6 to discuss the issue.   UNHCR has stressed to HMGN that 
they will cover all financial and technical support necessary 
to issue RCs to all 4418 individuals. 
 
Comment 
----------- 
6. (C) Thus far the Embassy has seen no undue delay on the 
part of the government to register the Tibetan Welfare 
Society.   We will continue to press HMGN for speedy action 
on registration and issuance of refugee registration cards. 
MILLARD