GOVERNMENT FOLLOWS THROUGH ON "PRE-EMPTIVE" ACTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000186 DEPT FOR G, PRM, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2019 TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM CH NP SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT FOLLOWS THROUGH ON "PRE-EMPTIVE" ACTION AGAINST TIBETANS REF: KATHMANDU 185 Classified By: Charge Randy Berry, Reason 1.5 b, d Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In the early hours of March 9, the Nepali Government arrested and detained 12 apparently undocumented Tibetans. The only woman was released, the others have not yet been charged. Tibetan sources reported that others were threatened and their documents and cell phones confiscated. A Tibetan community leader reported that he had been told by a government official that an arrest warrant had been issued for 30 Tibetan community leaders. The Tibetan community plans religious observances of the 50th anniversary of the start of the Dalai Lama's exile from Tibet. End summary. APF Launches Crackdown During Early Morning Hours -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) On March 9 the Government of NEPAL (GON) followed through on PM Dahal's March 8 statement to the Charge that the GON might have to take pre-emptive action to keep Tibetans from using NEPAL for "anti-China" activities (reftel). According to several Tibetan sources and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),very early in the morning of March 9, the Armed Police Force (APF) forcibly removed from their homes and detained twelve Tibetans -- 11 men and 1 woman -- from the Boudha area of Kathmandu. The one woman in the group was released by mid-afternoon on March 9. As of close of business on March 9, the men remained in detention with no charges filed against them. OHCHR reported further that all twelve appear to be undocumented as refugees in Nepal, meaning that they probably arrived after January 1, 1990. A further, as yet undetermined, number of Tibetans received similar "visits" from the APF in the early hours of the morning, had their documents and cell phones confiscated, and were told to report on their own to the Boudha-area police station. At least one who contacted Post's Refcoord reported that he did not intend to visit the police station but will, instead, seek refuge with friends. ¶3. (C) Post was also informed by the head of the unofficial Tibet Office in Kathmandu, Trinlay Gyatso (protect) that he had been invited early on March 9 to the Kathmandu Chief District Officer's (CDO) headquarters and told informally that the GON had just issued an arrest warrant for thirty Tibetan leaders, including Trinlay Gyatso himself, the four members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, the Tibetan settlement officers, and other leaders of the Tibetan community. OHCHR staff attempted to verify this report with the Boudha area police but did not receive confirmation. They will also try to verify with the CDO's office directly. Comment -------------- 4 (C) Comment: Interestingly, both Post's RSO and UN Security issued alerts to their respective staffs on March 9 on a possible protest in the area of the Chinese Consulate. OHCHR followed up in the area and found not only was there no protest at that time but there had also been no sightings of protesters. This is consistent with the other two actions in that it almost appears that the Government may inadvertently incite the protests it is trying to avoid. End comment. The Next Few Days -------------- ¶5. (C) Planned religious observances by the Tibetan community to commemorate the start of the Dalai Lama's flight from Tibet are scheduled to begin on March 10 and extend at least through March 28, the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's arrival in India. Post's contacts in the Tibetan community all report that they plan no protests and are encouraging everyone to strictly limit actions to commemorate the 50th anniversary to religious observance. The Dalai Lama's special envoy, Lodi Gyari, is also in NEPAL at this time and reportedly conveying the same message. ¶6. (C) Post will be monitoring the situation closely as events develop and plans to proceed with interventions as necessary. Charge Berry also spoke to the UK Ambassador, who was planning on consulting with his EU colleagues to gain a sense of where they stood on this issue. Post will remain in close contact with these and other diplomatic colleagues regarding possible joint actions. BERRY