US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU1337

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Identifier:	03KATHMANDU1337
Wikileaks:	View 03KATHMANDU1337 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Kathmandu
Created:	2003-07-16 08:27:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags:	PREF PREL PHUM CH NP Tibetan Refugees
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001337 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS, PRM/RMACKLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, PHUM, CH, NP, Tibetan Refugees 
SUBJECT: NEPAL: ANOTHER NINE TIBETANS HANDED-OVER TO UNHCR 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 1219 
 
1. (SBU) ON JULY 15, THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL'S DEPARTMENT 
OF IMMIGRATION RELEASED NINE UNDOCUMENTED TIBETANS TO 
UNHCR.  ACCORDING TO THE OFFICE OF TIBET, THE NINE 
TIBETANS WERE ARRESTED ON IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS SOMETIME 
DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 7 IN THE EASTERN HILL DISTRICT OF 
OKHALDHUNGA.  THE POLICE TRANSPORTED THE GROUP TO RAJBIRAJ 
ALONG NEPAL'S SOUTHERN BORDER, WHERE THEY WERE HANDED OVER 
TO IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS.  THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION 
THEN ARRANGED FOR THEIR TRANSPORTATION TO KATHMANDU WHERE 
THEY WERE RELEASED TO UNHCR. 
 
2. (SBU) COMMENT.  THE ARREST OF THIS GROUP OF TIBETANS 
HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE LOCAL PRESS, BUT NOT THEIR 
RELEASE TO UNHCR.  POST BELIEVES THAT, FOLLOWING THE 
RELEASE ON JUNE 29 OF NINETEEN TIBETANS ARRESTED IN 
WESTERN NEPAL (REFTEL), THE RELEASE OF THIS SECOND GROUP 
PROVIDES FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT THE GON DOES NOT INTEND TO 
CHANGE ITS LONG-STANDING POLICY OF ALLOWING TIBETANS TO 
TRANSIT NEPAL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNHCR.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
MALINOWSKI