By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 30: The blossoming partnership between the wealthy benefactor China and Nepal in the context of the region’s political scene will further spell trouble for the Tibetan refugees living there for the last few decades, the Washington based International Campaign for Tibet said in a report.
The high level visit of Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang to Kathmandu earlier this month will build upon the agreement between the two countries to ensure cooperation in border law enforcement, and Nepal formally joining Xi Jinping’s ambitious ‘One Belt One Road’ plan whilst “contracting space and dangers for Tibetans in Nepal”.
“Nepal is part of China’s strategic imperative to maintain and enforce political ‘stability’ in Tibet, meaning that the Chinese authorities seek to ensure complete control and crushing of all dissent, underlining a prominent political message that has been emphasized by Xi Jinping. Party officials equate political ‘stability’ in Tibet with the security of the entire PRC, and this approach has been extended to Nepal, with its close historic and cultural ties to Tibet, and location as gateway into exile for Tibetans who seek to leave Tibet,” the report stated.
Tibetan refugees who have been living in the country since the 1959 Tibet occupation by China have found it increasingly difficult to live in the country with China’s overarching influence getting stronger by the day.
Political rallies and protests against China in the country are dealt with severely by the Nepalese police since the late 2000s. ICT recommended that the Nepal government should respect Tibetans’ fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly, in accordance with Nepali domestic and international law.
The number of refugees coming from Tibet through Nepal which has been the main route for Tibetans remain heavily militarized and scrutinized over the years and number of new refugees curtailed drastically. ICT cited figures from the Nepalese immigration officials which showed a severe drop from 1,248 Tibetans in 2010 to 85 applications for an exit permit to India (showing transit via Nepal) in 2015. The figures have further dropped; the Tibetan reception center for newly arrived Tibetans in Dharamshala, India remain deserted apart from the few occupants these days.
“Nepal may not have completely capitulated to Chinese pressure, and its strong connections to India endure, but what few sources of protection remain for Tibetans are increasingly fragile,” the Washington headquartered group highlighted.
