US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU1139

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001139 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS, PRM/RMACKLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, BT, NP, Bhutanese Refugees 
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE REFUGEES STAGE PEACEFUL PROTESTS IN 
KHUNDANABARI CAMP 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 977 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  ON JUNE 18, THE NEPAL-BHUTAN JOINT 
VERIFICATION TEAM ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS OF THE 
KHUNDANABARI CAMP VERIFICATION.  THE RESULTS WERE 
CONSISTENT WITH INFORMATION POST RECEIVED AFTER THE 
FOURTEENTH JOINT MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE MEETING ON MAY 22 
(REFTEL).  HOWEVER, INCONSISTENCIES ABOUND IN THE 
CLASSIFICATION OF FAMILIES.  CAMP RESIDENTS STAGED 
PEACEFUL PROTESTS ON JUNE 19 AND HELD TALKS WITH GON CAMP 
ADMINISTRATORS.  NON-VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS ARE EXPECTED 
TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) ON JUNE 18, THE NEPAL-BHUTAN JOINT VERIFICATION 
TEAM ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS OF THE KHUNDANABARI CAMP 
VERIFICATION PROCESS.  UNHCR OFFICERS PRESENT AT THE CAMPS 
REPORTED THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE DELIVERED 
"PROFESSIONALLY AND ORDERLY" AT THE SECTORAL LEVEL 
(ROUGHLY 2000 RESIDENTS PER SECTOR) WITH ONLY HEADS-OF- 
HOUSEHOLD PRESENT.  THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME LATE IN THE DAY 
AFTER RESIDENTS HAD WAITED FOR HOURS IN THE HEAT.  UNHCR 
DESCRIBED THE RESIDENTS' REACTIONS AS "VERY CALM, TOO 
CALM; PERHAPS THEY WERE IN A STATE OF SHOCK." 
 
3. (SBU) A WORLD FOOD PROGRAM OFFICER ALSO REPORTED THAT 
RESIDENTS APPEARED CONFUSED ABOUT THE APPEAL PROCESS. 
GUIDELINES AND APPEAL FORMS WERE DISTRIBUTED WITH THE JUNE 
18 ANNOUNCEMENT.  THE GUIDELINES REQUIRE RESIDENTS TO SHOW 
EVIDENCE OF A PROCEDURAL ERROR REGARDING THEIR 
CLASSIFICATION OR NEW DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OF THEIR 
STATUS.  HOWEVER, UNHCR REPRESENTATIVES ARE NOT OPTIMISTIC 
THAT ANY CAMP RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO REVERSE THE 
RULING; ALL RESIDENTS HAVE ALREADY PRESENTED ALL THEIR 
DOCUMENTATION AND PROOF OF BHUTANESE CITIZENSHIP, UNHCR 
REPORTED. 
 
4. (U) CLASSIFICATION OF KHUNDANABARI CAMP RESIDENTS INTO 
THE FOUR CATEGORIES WAS AS FOLLOWS: 
 
-- CATEGORY I (BHUTANESE WHO WERE FORCED TO DEPART) 2.4 
PERCENT OR 293 PEOPLE OF 74 FAMILIES; 
 
-- CATEGORY II (BHUTANESE WHO LEFT VOLUNTARILY) 70.55 
PERCENT OR 8,595 PEOPLE OF 2,182 FAMILIES; 
 
-- CATEGORY III (NON-BHUTANESE) 24.2 PERCENT OR 2,948 
PEOPLE OF 817 FAMILIES; AND 
 
-- CATEGORY IV (CRIMINALS) 2.85 PERCENT OR 347 PEOPLE OF 
85 FAMILIES. 
 
5. (SBU) UNHCR IS CONCERNED THAT SUBSTANTIAL 
INCONSISTENCIES EXIST IN THE CLASSIFICATION THAT WILL LEAD 
TO THE SEPARATION OF FAMILIES.  IN SOME CASES, FATHERS 
WERE CATEGORIZED AS NON-BHUTANESE (CAT III), BUT THEIR 
SONS WERE CATEGORIZED AS EITHER CRIMINALS (CAT IV) OR 
BHUTANESE WHO DEPARTED VOLUNTARILY (CAT II).  UNHCR 
REPRESENTATIVES ARE ALSO CONCERNED THAT ENTIRE FAMILIES, 
INCLUDING CHILDREN, HAVE BEEN CATEGORIZED AS CRIMINALS 
(CAT IV) EVEN THOUGH THE CHILDREN MAY HAVE NEVER SET FOOT 
IN BHUTAN. 
 
6. (SBU) ON JUNE 19, KHUNDANABARI CAMP RESIDENTS STAGED 
PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS AND HELD TALKS WITH CAMP 
SECRETARIES.  (CAMP SECRETARIES FALL UNDER THE AUTHORITY 
 
SIPDIS 
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL'S HOME MINISTRY.)  CAMP 
CHILDREN REFUSED TO ATTEND SCHOOL ON JUNE 19, BUT ALL 
DEMONSTRATIONS REMAINED NON-VIOLENT.  UNHCR PREDICTS THAT 
THE PROTESTS WILL CONTINUE FOR 4-5 DAYS AT LEAST, BUT THAT 
THEY WILL REMAIN PEACEFUL.  THE PROTESTORS' GOAL APPEARED 
TO BE TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL AND MEDIA ATTENTION TO 
THEIR PLIGHT. 
 
7. (SBU) ALSO ON JUNE 19, GUIDELINES FOR REPATRIATION WERE 
READ ALOUD TO CATEGORY I AND II RESIDENTS.  UNHCR OFFICERS 
REPORTED THAT THE GUIDELINES DID NOT PRESENT ANY NEW RULES 
REGARDING CATEGORY II RESIDENTS' REAPPLICATION FOR 
BHUTANESE CITIZENSHIP.  THOSE RESIDENTS WHO IMMIGRATED 
WITH PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO 
REAPPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP AFTER A SUCCESSFUL 2-YEAR 
PROBATION PERIOD AS LONG AS THE APPLICANT IS NOT 
RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. 
CATEGORY II RESIDENTS WHO IMMIGRATED WITHOUT PRIOR 
APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR 
CITIZENSHIP.  THE GUIDELINES REPORTEDLY SPECIFY THAT 
APPLICANTS MUST BE PRESENT IN BHUTAN AT THE TIME OF 
APPLICATION AND THAT IDENTIFICATION CARDS WILL BE ISSUED 
FOR THE PROBATION PERIOD.  THE GUIDELINES ALSO REPORTEDLY 
ASSURED RESIDENTS THAT ALL RETURNEES WOULD BE GUARANTEED 
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. 
 
8. (SBU) COMMENT.  THE FATE OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE 
BHUTANESE REFUGEES REMAINS DOUBTFUL.  ALTHOUGH RESIDENTS 
NOW HAVE 15 DAYS TO APPEAL, IT IS UNLIKELY ANY WILL 
SUCCESSFULLY REVERSE THE VERIFICATION TEAM'S RULING. 
MOREOVER, THE GUIDELINES FOR REPATRIATION CONTINUE TO BE 
VAGUELY WORDED, LEAVING MAJOR UNCERTAINTIES REGARDING HOW 
MANY CATEGORY II RESIDENTS WILL RECEIVE BHUTANESE 
CITIZENSHIP AFTER THE TWO-YEAR PROBATION PERIOD.  MANY 
QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED REGARDING WHERE THE 
REPATRIATED REFUGEES WILL LIVE AND HOW THEY WILL EARN A 
LIVING.  THE POTENTIAL FOR A HUGE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN 
BHUTAN REMAINS STRONG.  POST AGAIN URGES THE DEPARTMENT TO 
APPROACH BHUTAN'S DONOR GOVERNMENTS ABOUT PRESSURING THE 
GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN, PRIOR TO THE 15TH JOINT MINISTERIAL 
ON AUGUST 11, TO ALLOW FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN 
THE REPATRIATION PROCESS.  END COMMENT. 
 
BOGGS