INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET
Over the years the U.S. Government has demonstrated consistent concern for the plight of Tibetan refugees. As part of its overall annual contributions to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United States funds the UNHCR office in Kathmandu, which supports the Tibetan Refugee Transit Center (TRTC) in Kathmandu. At the TRTC, Tibetans receive emergency care, clothing, food, and shelter. Tibetans may stay at the center to recuperate from serious illness or injury, but most depart for India after several days, following processing by the Indian government for entry permits. The Central Tibetan Administration arranges for the refugees to be sent to schools, monasteries, or Tibetan refugee settlements in various locations around India. All new refugees are provided an opportunity for an audience with the Dalai Lama – many Tibetans make the perilous journey into exile solely to be in the presence of their leader. On February 13, Under Secretary Otero and U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Scott DeLisi visited the Tibetan Refugee Transit Center where some of the 172 new refugees spoke about the reasons they left Tibet and the dangers they encountered on the journey to Kathmandu, as well as their happy anticipation of meeting with the Dalai Lama and of the freedoms they expect to encounter in India. During the site visit, Under Secretary Otero reiterated the United States’ continued support for the safety and welfare of Tibetan refugees in Nepal, and promised to carry the information they shared back to Washington, D.C. On February 14, Under Secretary Otero and Ambassador DeLisi met with Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, and their discussions reportedly included Tibetan issues.12 According to a spokesperson for the Prime Minister, Under Secretary Otero “expressed concern about the Nepal government policy with regard to Tibetan refugees arriving in the country as well as identification of refugees who have been living in Nepal for decades.”13 According to The Himalayan Times, Khanal responded that the issue of Tibetan refugees in Nepal was very “sensitive” and Khanal’s spokesperson asserted that, “The PM did not make any commitment on the issue.”14
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