BHUTANESE REFUGEES STAGE PEACEFUL PROTESTS IN

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
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