Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU426
2006-02-13 12:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
BHUTANESE CHIEF JUDGE: REFUGEES ARE NOT CITIZENS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #0426 0441240 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131240Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0299 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 3939 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO IMMEDIATE 4193 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN IMMEDIATE 0300 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA IMMEDIATE 9266 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI IMMEDIATE 0101 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 2179 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 3599 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 9212 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO IMMEDIATE 0212 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1736 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 1077 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000426
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2016
TAGS: PREF PREL NP
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE CHIEF JUDGE: REFUGEES ARE NOT CITIZENS
REF: A. NEW DELHI 736
B. PITOTTI 2/9 E-MAIL
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d).
Restrict Bhutanese Citizenship
-------------------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000426
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2016
TAGS: PREF PREL NP
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE CHIEF JUDGE: REFUGEES ARE NOT CITIZENS
REF: A. NEW DELHI 736
B. PITOTTI 2/9 E-MAIL
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d).
Restrict Bhutanese Citizenship
--------------
1. (U) The February 12 English-language daily The Himalayan
Times reported that the Bhutanese government-owned
"kunselonline" quoted Bhutan's Chief Justice as saying that
the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal were not Bhutanese citizens
as per Bhutan's 1985 Citizenship Act. Checking kunselonline,
the February 11 article "People of Tsirang discuss the draft
Constitution with the Crown Prince" reported that members of
the public "felt that citizenship should be restricted to
those born of Bhutanese parents. They also said that they
were aware that the camps in Nepal with immigrants claiming
Bhutanese citizenship was (sic) infiltrated by Maoists,
Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and other militants.
All steps must be taken to prevent the entry of such people
into Bhutan." Bhutanese refugee leaders in Kathmandu decried
the Chief Justice's statement. Bhutanese refugee leader and
activist Teknath Rizal denied that non-Bhutanese were living
in the refugee camps. He sought the help of the donor
community to resolve the issue. Noting the upcoming Bhutan
Donor Group Meeting in Geneva February 15, Rizal urged donors
to stop aid to Bhutan.
Comment
--------------
2. (C) Following the January 31 comments by the Bhutanese
Ambassador to New Delhi (ref A) and the early February
caveats by the Bhutanese DCM at the UN (ref B),the Chief
Justice seems to be trying to send a pretty clear Royal
Government of Bhutan (RGOB) message that Thimpu is not
interested in accepting the return of any refugees.
Interestingly, the Bhutanese King and Foreign Minister are
using lower-level officials, so they presumably can disavow
the message at a later date, if need be. This makes it
extremely important that the international community use the
February 15 roundtable conference to advise the RGOB that
ethnic cleansing is not acceptable, the international
community is monitoring to see whether repatriation occurs in
a timely manner, and, if not, is prepared to step in.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2016
TAGS: PREF PREL NP
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE CHIEF JUDGE: REFUGEES ARE NOT CITIZENS
REF: A. NEW DELHI 736
B. PITOTTI 2/9 E-MAIL
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d).
Restrict Bhutanese Citizenship
--------------
1. (U) The February 12 English-language daily The Himalayan
Times reported that the Bhutanese government-owned
"kunselonline" quoted Bhutan's Chief Justice as saying that
the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal were not Bhutanese citizens
as per Bhutan's 1985 Citizenship Act. Checking kunselonline,
the February 11 article "People of Tsirang discuss the draft
Constitution with the Crown Prince" reported that members of
the public "felt that citizenship should be restricted to
those born of Bhutanese parents. They also said that they
were aware that the camps in Nepal with immigrants claiming
Bhutanese citizenship was (sic) infiltrated by Maoists,
Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and other militants.
All steps must be taken to prevent the entry of such people
into Bhutan." Bhutanese refugee leaders in Kathmandu decried
the Chief Justice's statement. Bhutanese refugee leader and
activist Teknath Rizal denied that non-Bhutanese were living
in the refugee camps. He sought the help of the donor
community to resolve the issue. Noting the upcoming Bhutan
Donor Group Meeting in Geneva February 15, Rizal urged donors
to stop aid to Bhutan.
Comment
--------------
2. (C) Following the January 31 comments by the Bhutanese
Ambassador to New Delhi (ref A) and the early February
caveats by the Bhutanese DCM at the UN (ref B),the Chief
Justice seems to be trying to send a pretty clear Royal
Government of Bhutan (RGOB) message that Thimpu is not
interested in accepting the return of any refugees.
Interestingly, the Bhutanese King and Foreign Minister are
using lower-level officials, so they presumably can disavow
the message at a later date, if need be. This makes it
extremely important that the international community use the
February 15 roundtable conference to advise the RGOB that
ethnic cleansing is not acceptable, the international
community is monitoring to see whether repatriation occurs in
a timely manner, and, if not, is prepared to step in.
MORIARTY