In Nepal, young Tibetans are having a difficult time. They fail to find jobs, travel abroad, and open bank accounts because they are shunned by the Nepalese government.
Young Tibetan refugees and Tibetans born in Nepal, unlike their parents and grandparents, are not recognized by the government, leaving them in a state of limbo with serious personal and professional consequences. Young refugees struggle to find work.
“We are not a country that welcomes refugees,” says Chakra Bahadur Budha, spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Nepal is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, a United Nations treaty outlining the rights of people fleeing their homes. Government officials are unapologetic about their treatment of Tibetans.
Young Tibetan refugees have become despondent as a result of the challenges: their forefathers came to Nepal to openly practice their faith, culture, and profession – all of which they say the government now denies Tibetans.
Tibet was annexed by China in 1950, and riots erupted in 1959. The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, fled to India, where he was joined by several of his countrymen. They poured into Nepal as well. Tibetan refugees haven’t been registered since 1993 when there were around 12,540 of them.
They are unable to pursue higher education, are refused permanent employment, are often unable to obtain a driver’s license or open bank accounts, and are unable to own businesses or travel internationally.
Tibetans were given refugee cards by the Nepalese government, which allowed them to live in Nepal and travel throughout the country but gave them few other rights or privileges. Since at least 2002, the government has not released such identification cards, ostensibly as a show of unity with China, with whom Nepal has grown closer over time.
Picture Courtesy: SHILU MANANDHAR, Global Press Journal NEPAL
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