US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU753

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000753 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS 
LONDON FOR POL - GURNEY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PREF, NP, CH 
SUBJECT: NEPAL: CHINESE AMBASSADOR PRESSURES GON TO ARREST 
TIBETANS 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 715 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski, for reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
1.  (C) At an April 25 meeting with Home Secretary Tikka 
Datta Niraula, Ambassador Malinowski raised the issue of 
twenty-one Tibetans, including eleven minors, recently 
arrested on immigration charges (reftel).  The Ambassador 
encouraged the Government of Nepal (GON) to release the 
detainees into UNHCR custody, in accordance with prior 
practice and the unwritten "gentleman's agreement" that has 
governed GON treatment of transiting Tibetan refugees since 
1990. In response, Niraula stated that the Chinese Ambassador 
personally had made a high-level presentation to complain 
about the group, and had accused members of the group of 
being involved in unspecified criminal activities. 
 
2.  (U)  UNHCR has confirmed that two of the youngest 
children (ages six and nine) have been released from jail 
without fine, and that a second six-year-old will be released 
today.  Eight minors remain in jail.  (Note: Reftel reported 
that the children being released were not accompanied by 
parents.  New information from UNHCR indicates that the 
father of the second six-year old boy is in custody.  End 
note.)  The Department of Immigration has offered no 
explanation to UNHCR for the detention of the refugees. 
 
3.  (C) Comment:  Information from the Home Secretary 
confirms Post's suspicion that the Chinese Embassy has been 
behind the recent crackdown on Tibetan refugees by the GON. 
It is not clear if the Chinese pressure is the result of 
directives from Beijing, or is a local initiative.  Post will 
continue to encourage the GON to work in cooperation with 
UNHCR and to release the refugees from detention. 
MALINOWSKI