NEPAL: ANOTHER NINE TIBETANS HANDED-OVER TO UNHCR

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001337

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR SA/INS, PRM/RMACKLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM CH NP
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