TIBETAN PROTESTERS DETAINED IN KATHMANDU

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000564 SIPDIS DEPT FOR G, PRM, SCA/INS, GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019 TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM CH NP SUBJECT: TIBETAN PROTESTERS DETAINED IN KATHMANDU Classified By: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell, reasons 1.5 b,d ¶1. (SBU) In the first Tibetan political protest since March 2009, a group of 34 Tibetans took a bus from Kathmandu to the Nepal-Tibet border early on June 26, reportedly to turn themselves over to Chinese authorities and become martyrs for the cause of a free Tibet. The group was intercepted and detained by Nepali police about 15 miles south of the border and subsequently returned to Kathmandu, where they were handed over to Immigration authorities. There are unconfirmed reports that some of the protesters were injured during the arrest. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has learned that Nepali Immigration is holding the protesters without charge at least until Sunday to consider next steps. The GON is most likely to release the Tibetans but could press charges either for violating immigration law or, more seriously, for threating Nepal's safety by impuning a neighboring state from Nepal's territory. ¶2. (SBU) The group's members are largely individuals without formal refugee status in Nepal. Many of them had participated in earlier protests in Kathmandu and are among a group of 90 individuals turned over to UNHCR by the Nepali Government in September 2008 following a series of protests on behalf of Tibet. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) Both the Government of Nepal and UNHCR find themselves in a quandary. This is the first protest to have taken place under the new government and the first since the government -- at least at the working level -- has expressed willingness to take steps toward registration and ID card issuance for those Tibetans clearly entitled to refugee status. Government willingness to take this modest step was predicated on the Tibetan refugee issue staying relatively under China's radar. This latest protest, which has already been reported in the regional press, may well cause the GON to reconsider even this small step. ¶4. (C) UNHCR has also been warned by the GON that the operation of the Transit Center in Kathmandu which provides sanctuary for newly-arrived Tibetans and facilitates their onward movement to India could be threatened by public attention to the Tibetan refugee issue. UNHCR has been acting as custodian for the members of this group since September 2008 but is torn between its desire to protect these individuals and its desire to maintain the ability to protect newcomers from Tibet. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador plans to discuss the issue with UNHCR Representative Daisy Dell on Monday, after Dell has returned from a trip to the Bhutanese refugee camps. The Ambassador has several farewell calls scheduled with key ministers and will use this opportunity to engage the GON. ¶5. (U) If asked: Post plans to state that we have seen press reports of the detention of a group of Tibetan refugees approaching the border area and understand the refugees have been returned to Kathmandu. We are still collecting information about the incident but are relieved there are no reports of serious injury at this time. POWELL