Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU2959
2006-11-03 10:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
TIBETAN REFUGEE UPDATE, NOVEMBER 3
how-toVZCZCXRO8748 OO RUEHCN DE RUEHKT #2959/01 3071057 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 031057Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3750 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4926 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 5181 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0340 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 3175 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4561 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0429 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU PRIORITY 0314 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1272 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2055 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 002959
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREF PINR NP
SUBJECT: TIBETAN REFUGEE UPDATE, NOVEMBER 3
REF: A. KATHMANDU 2677
B. KATHMANDU 1403
C. KATHMANDU 1702
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 002959
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREF PINR NP
SUBJECT: TIBETAN REFUGEE UPDATE, NOVEMBER 3
REF: A. KATHMANDU 2677
B. KATHMANDU 1403
C. KATHMANDU 1702
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) According to Douglas DiSalvo, a UNHCR officer in
Kathmandu, 41 out of the group of 43 Tibetan refugees who
arrived in Nepal safely after the shooting incident at the
Chinese border on October 1 (ref A) departed Nepal for India
on October 20 and arrived on October 21; the other two should
transit to India soon. DiSalvo told Emboff November 1 that
the number of Tibetans at the Tibetan Reception Center (TRC)
was down from the same time last year. However, this did not
appear to indicate a change of policy in China. DiSalvo also
reported that the new U.S.-funded building at the TRC was
almost finished, and that Kelsang Tsung, a Tibetan refugee
who had worked in Nepal for many years, had been appointed as
the new director of the TRC.
Refugees Arrive Safely In India
--------------
2. (C) According to Douglas DiSalvo, Associate Protection
Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees-Nepal (UNHCR),41 out of the 43 Tibetan refugees who
survived the shooting incident at the Chinese border on
October 1 arrived safely in India on October 21. The group
was assisted by UNHCR using their regular process of transit
assistance through the Tibetan Reception Center (TRC) in
Kathmandu.
3. (C/NF) DiSalvo said that the other two arrivals were the
guides for the ill-fated trip; they had originally attempted
to return to China. The two later approached UNHCR in
Kathmandu and requested assistance after speaking with their
families in China, who they claimed had been detained and
questioned. UNHCR determined that the two had a credible
fear of persecution in China and decided to assist them.
DiSalvo told Emboff that UNHCR had received an official
protest from the Chinese permrep in Geneva against their
"aiding known human smugglers." UNHCR was working as quickly
as possible to get the remaining two refugees to India.
4. (C) Another group of 18 refugees who arrived in early
October stated that they had not had any problems at the
Chinese border and were unaware of the shooting, DiSalvo
noted.
Numbers Down At TRC
--------------
5. (C) According to DiSalvo, the number of refugees at the
TRC on November 1 was 217. The number of arrivals in October
2006 was 280 compared to more than 500 in October 2005.
DiSalvo believed this was because the Dalai Lama was holding
a special religious ceremony in 2005, drawing more people
from China than this year. DiSalvo stated that he had not
heard anything during his interviews with the new arrivals
that would indicate a new Chinese policy to crack down on
Tibetan attempts to cross the border.
New Building Almost Complete
--------------
6. (C) DiSalvo stated that the new U.S.-funded building at
the TRC was nearly complete, and was ready to house new
arrivals. DiSalvo told Emboff that arrival numbers were low
enough that the TRC had not needed the building yet -- but he
expected the need would arise over the next few months.
Bio Note of New Director of the TRC
--------------
KATHMANDU 00002959 002 OF 002
7. (C) Kelsang Tsung (alternative spelling Kelsang Chung) was
appointed as the new director of the TRC. Tsung is a
registered Tibetan refugee in Nepal. He worked as a camp
secretary in camps in Solukhumbu and Tapeljung districts in
SIPDIS
eastern Nepal before working as a secretary in the cabinet of
the Tibetan "Government in Exile" in Dharamsala from
2003-2006. He is fluent in Tibetan and Nepali. His English
is not very good.
Comment
--------------
8. (C) It appears from Kathmandu that the October 1 shooting
of refugees at the Chinese border was not an indication of a
changed policy to clamp down on Tibetans fleeing China. We
assume that the group of 18 refugees who arrived later in
October would have been aware of any such crackdown; instead,
they stated that they had not had any problems at the Chinese
border and were unaware of the shooting. We are pleased that
the new building at the TRC is coming along well and will
follow-up on an opening ceremony.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREF PINR NP
SUBJECT: TIBETAN REFUGEE UPDATE, NOVEMBER 3
REF: A. KATHMANDU 2677
B. KATHMANDU 1403
C. KATHMANDU 1702
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) According to Douglas DiSalvo, a UNHCR officer in
Kathmandu, 41 out of the group of 43 Tibetan refugees who
arrived in Nepal safely after the shooting incident at the
Chinese border on October 1 (ref A) departed Nepal for India
on October 20 and arrived on October 21; the other two should
transit to India soon. DiSalvo told Emboff November 1 that
the number of Tibetans at the Tibetan Reception Center (TRC)
was down from the same time last year. However, this did not
appear to indicate a change of policy in China. DiSalvo also
reported that the new U.S.-funded building at the TRC was
almost finished, and that Kelsang Tsung, a Tibetan refugee
who had worked in Nepal for many years, had been appointed as
the new director of the TRC.
Refugees Arrive Safely In India
--------------
2. (C) According to Douglas DiSalvo, Associate Protection
Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees-Nepal (UNHCR),41 out of the 43 Tibetan refugees who
survived the shooting incident at the Chinese border on
October 1 arrived safely in India on October 21. The group
was assisted by UNHCR using their regular process of transit
assistance through the Tibetan Reception Center (TRC) in
Kathmandu.
3. (C/NF) DiSalvo said that the other two arrivals were the
guides for the ill-fated trip; they had originally attempted
to return to China. The two later approached UNHCR in
Kathmandu and requested assistance after speaking with their
families in China, who they claimed had been detained and
questioned. UNHCR determined that the two had a credible
fear of persecution in China and decided to assist them.
DiSalvo told Emboff that UNHCR had received an official
protest from the Chinese permrep in Geneva against their
"aiding known human smugglers." UNHCR was working as quickly
as possible to get the remaining two refugees to India.
4. (C) Another group of 18 refugees who arrived in early
October stated that they had not had any problems at the
Chinese border and were unaware of the shooting, DiSalvo
noted.
Numbers Down At TRC
--------------
5. (C) According to DiSalvo, the number of refugees at the
TRC on November 1 was 217. The number of arrivals in October
2006 was 280 compared to more than 500 in October 2005.
DiSalvo believed this was because the Dalai Lama was holding
a special religious ceremony in 2005, drawing more people
from China than this year. DiSalvo stated that he had not
heard anything during his interviews with the new arrivals
that would indicate a new Chinese policy to crack down on
Tibetan attempts to cross the border.
New Building Almost Complete
--------------
6. (C) DiSalvo stated that the new U.S.-funded building at
the TRC was nearly complete, and was ready to house new
arrivals. DiSalvo told Emboff that arrival numbers were low
enough that the TRC had not needed the building yet -- but he
expected the need would arise over the next few months.
Bio Note of New Director of the TRC
--------------
KATHMANDU 00002959 002 OF 002
7. (C) Kelsang Tsung (alternative spelling Kelsang Chung) was
appointed as the new director of the TRC. Tsung is a
registered Tibetan refugee in Nepal. He worked as a camp
secretary in camps in Solukhumbu and Tapeljung districts in
SIPDIS
eastern Nepal before working as a secretary in the cabinet of
the Tibetan "Government in Exile" in Dharamsala from
2003-2006. He is fluent in Tibetan and Nepali. His English
is not very good.
Comment
--------------
8. (C) It appears from Kathmandu that the October 1 shooting
of refugees at the Chinese border was not an indication of a
changed policy to clamp down on Tibetans fleeing China. We
assume that the group of 18 refugees who arrived later in
October would have been aware of any such crackdown; instead,
they stated that they had not had any problems at the Chinese
border and were unaware of the shooting. We are pleased that
the new building at the TRC is coming along well and will
follow-up on an opening ceremony.
MORIARTY