Tibetans Availing Indian Passports Should Move Out of Refugee Settlements

September 22, 2018

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a circular to all the passport issuing authorities in India and abroad mentioned that Tibetan refugees availing the Indian Passports should declare to not stay in any Tibetan refugee settlements or enjoying any Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) benefits, privileges or subsidies.

The Office Memorandum issued by MEA, Government of India on Monday directed the Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) to grant passport facilities to Tibetan Refugees born in India between 26.01.1950 and 01.07.1987 and their children who have been declared as Indian citizens by birth under the Citizenship Act, 1955.

While earlier there was a lack of clear guideline on the process for the Tibetan refugees to surrender their Registration Certificates (RCs) and Identity Certificates (ICs), this circulated clearly mentions that a Tibetan Refugee can surrender these documents at the concerned Passport Seva Kenra (PSK)/ Passport Office where the passport application is also made.

However, as declared earlier, this circular clearly demands all those Tibetan refugees applying for Indian Passports to also submit a signed declaration accepting to stay in any of the designated Tibetan refugee settlements nor enjoying any CTA benefits or subsidies.

Written by:

TJ editor

Editor at Tibetan Journal

4 responses to “Tibetans Availing Indian Passports Should Move Out of Refugee Settlements”

Tenzin

September 22, 2018

As we all know, there are many Tibetan who are staying abroad and are citizen of other nations and still holding land and house in the Tibetan settlements and now a days they started selling house and land so CTA with the help of govt of India should clean thiis mess first.

Reply
1. Kim
  
  September 23, 2018
  
  Why? This is sensible. Once you are an Indian citizen there is not need to treat you as a refugee. Let that spot go to a new in need refugee
  
  Reply
Sid

September 23, 2018

Does this also imply many MPs, CTA officials who hold Indian passport will not be part of CTA anymore ?
No more monks and nuns from northern Himalayans regions of India in Tibetan monasteries. No more local Indians studying at various Central Tibetan for Schools, including teachers n other staffs. Etc.
Seems there is will be another knocking at the court to redeem right to equality n justice in the near future.
Already Tibetan population is diminishing at an alarming rate in India. This short sighted policy of limiting the rights the Tibetans is failing miserably and back-firing. In 7 years from 150 k it has reduced to 85k. Some cite it is already at 65k. So at this rate and under such restrictive policy there will be zero Tibetans in next 10 years in India. So sad.

(In America over 50 k Indians were given citizenship in just one year without imposing any restrictions or conditions as per recent news.)

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Dawa Sangpo

September 23, 2018

Five major monasteries in South India are having more then thousands of student from Ladakh and Tawang, all these are holding Indian passport so, should we leave from settlement now! Please make clear soon about this issues .
From Himalaya Student union.

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