By BISHNU BUDHATHOKI
Kathmandu, April 1 – Hundreds of Tibetan people in transit, who arrived in Nepal hoping to seek asylum in a third country, have been living in misery in Kathmandu following the government’s ‘unofficial’ decision in October 2005 not to issue them with exit permits.
According to a reliable source, approximately 900 Tibetans have been sheltering in sub-standard conditions at the Reception Center in the capital, which is supported by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
A concerned member of the Tibetan refugee community told the Post on condition of anonymity that he was frustrated with the latest decision to stop issuing exit permits, which has left Tibetans facing difficulty in traveling on to India. This follows an earlier government policy, which suspended the release of travel documents to Tibetans as well as other refugees who have been taking shelter in Nepal.
“In this situation how can the Tibetans survive here without the necessary food, health care and sanitation, education and shelter,” he questioned.
The Department of Immigration had last issued exit permits for 52 Tibetans to go to India, under the recommendation of the UNHCR.
The Tibetan also urged the government to continue its humanitarian support in accordance with international humanitarian laws.
The Post repeatedly approached Acting Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hira Bahadur Thapa for his comment but he repeatedly declined to respond. A government official who preferred to remain anonymous admitted that it was a ‘political’ decision of the government.
Another official alleged that while the government was issuing exit permits to the Tibetans at the request of UNHCR, some of them had moved outside the Valley without the necessary legal documents. As a result, he stated, the government took the decision to avoid these illegal activities for an indefinite period.
Abraham Abraham, Representative of the UNHCR in Nepal, said that the government decided to stop issuing exit permits while many Tibetans were in serious need of legal and other assistance to move in and out of the country. “For whatever reason, the government does not want to issue exit permits, so we have intervened and asked them to continue issuing the permits to facilitate the Tibetans’ movement on to third countries.”
The UN official also noted that the government had failed to inform those entering at the border of its recent change in policy, with the new arrivals only finding out once they had ventured further inland. “Moreover, we don’t have the means to inform them in Tibet” he added.
He appealed to the government to resume issuing exit permits and continue its long standing practices.
On average 250 Tibetans arrive in Nepal each month. The refugee centre has a capacity for accomodating approximately 450 people, but the present number of residents is over double that figure.
Two weeks ago, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and East Asian Affairs Donald Camp had expressed concern over the Nepalese government’s suspension of exit permits to the refugees for their onward travel to India.
