In a breaking revelation in the local news medium, Nepal has secretly agreed to handover escaping Tibetans to China. Top Chinese commander, President Xi’s visit in October last year saw the signing of this secret agreement. This agreement despite having kept under secret has surfaced in the local news medium recently.
According to the English page of Khabarhub, Nepal and China inked a secret agreement in October last year to curb the entry of Tibetans into Nepal. Although the agreement mentions to handover people entering illegally without sufficient documents, it is sufficiently clear to be targeting Tibetans. The revelation mentions to handover those people within seven days.
During President Xi’s visit to Nepal in October last year, the two nation signed a 20 point agreement. Placed at the top of the 20 point, a 42 clauses point mentioned to handover people entering illegally without sufficient documents of origin country. Those clauses were written in English, Nepali and Chinese according to the local report.
The deal was kept under wraps by the government. However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali recently issued a written clarification to the members of parliament and has affirmed that Nepal and China have signed an agreement to handover the people. It was mentioned to be targeting Tibetans. The agreement will lead to handover of Tibetans entering borders without documents within 7 days of being taken under custody.
Nepal plays a strategic role in the escape of the Tibetans from Tibet to exile. Since the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, thousands of Tibetans escaped into exile, mostly Nepal playing the transit route to India and other countries around the world. It is also hosting Tibetan refugees whose number ranges between 15,000 to 20,000.
With increasing Chinese influence in the Himalayan state, Tibetans have been subjected to severe restrictions. While many Tibetans based in the country faced identity crisis due to lack of proper documentation from the authorities, any sort of gatherings or demonstrations, especially those directed against China during important dates such March 10, have been severely restricted.