Tibetan refugees enjoy "loktantra"

BY PUSHPA RAJ PRADHAN

After formation of the SPA government, again the Tibetan refugees have become active.

The refugees, with the support of some Western countries, have been carrying out free-Tibet activities in Nepal, basically during the multiparty rule. However, the governments formed by the King under the Article 127 curtailed Tibetan refugees' activities here. The Dalai Lama's office "Gaden Khangsar" at Lajimpat was closed down by the government as that was operating illegally, said a Tibetan national residing in Baudha.

The government, in 2005, closed down the office saying the office was operating without any registration in the government. In fact, the government, had taken this decision with the view of checking the free-Tibet activities being carried out by the office. However, it is learnt that the office is still running unofficially and currently, Nudup Dorje is the chairperson of the Tibetan office here. Recently, as the Dalai Lama has appointed Nudup as the ambassador to Canada, he has tendered his resignation as the chief in the Nepal office.

Gaden Khangsar is involved in trafficking Tibetans to Nepal and sending them to foreign countries.

Nepalese soil has been utilizes by the Tibetans to traffic innocent Tibetans from Tibet to India and also Western countries. Officials assigned by the Dalai Lama stationed in Kathmandu are trafficking the Tibetans to Nepal by promising them that they will send them to the United States and European countries. They have also be promised that they will earn huge amounts of money. Some western countries have supported this project with the intention of defaming China on human rights violation. The Dalai Lama's officials in Kathmandu have developed a network for trafficking Tibetans from Tibet to Nepal. Under this network, Nepalese police and Home Ministry officials are also involved as Dalai Lama's agents provide attractive amounts of money to them. It is believed, high-level officials in the Home Ministry and Immigration Department are also making money while providing illegal Tibetan immigrants refugee status.

After the establishment of "loktantra" in Nepal, the activities of the Tibetans have increased again. When the US senators visited Nepal, the Tibetan refugee leaders held a meeting with them in Kathmandu. At that time, as the Tibetan refugee leaders had complained about the closure of Dalai Lama's office, the US senators had suggested that they should run a federation by including other Buddhist organizations. The US senators had also held a meeting with Sittal Niwas officials and out pressure on the Nepalese to provide travel documents to the refugees and allow them to run the Dalai Lama's office. At that time, the government formed under the Article 127 didn't agree to the US senators' advice to run Dalai Lama's office here. At present, the Tibetan refugee leaders have already applied for a federation as per the advice of the US senators. As per the application, the organisation named Nepal Buddhist Federation, located at Baudha 6, will get registration as the Home Ministry has already given a "no objection" letter to the Kathmandu District Office, it is learnt. Earlier, the Tibetan leaders had applied for registration of "Tibetan Welfare Centre", but the Kathmandu District Office had asked them to change the name as Bhot Welfare Office.

Besides, the Tibetan Reception Centre at Soyambhu is actively functioning while sending Tibetan refugees to the US and some European countries.

That apart, the Tibetan Office situated near the Nabil Bank at Baudha, is also actively functioning as an office of the Dalai Lama.

Tibetan leaders have planed to develop Baudha area as a mini-Tibet, and different programmes, including settlement of the Tibetans, have been developed by the Tibetan leaders, a highly placed source informed.

It is learnt that the Shital Niwas is holding frequent discussions with some Western diplomats for granting travel documents to the Tibetan refugees in spite of the Chinese opposition.