DANGEROUS CROSSING: - International Campaign for Tibet

DANGEROUS CROSSINGS: CONDITIONS IMPACTING THE FLIGHT OF TIBETAN REFUGEES, 2011
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CONTENTS
SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 6
Findings .................................................................................................................. 10
Recommendations ................................................................................................... 12
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................... 15
Chronology of Events in Nepal 2011 ........................................................................ 18
INFLUENCES AND ISSUES............................................................................ 33
History of Tibetan Refugee Settlements in Nepal ....................................................... 35
Shared Himalayan Identities ..................................................................................... 36
The Politicization of Refugee Assistance .................................................................... 37
China’s Increasing Influence in Nepal ....................................................................... 38
a) How the way was left open for China: Nepal’s political context ....................... 38
b) Nepal’s relationship with India and China ...................................................... 39
c) The developing China-Nepal relationship ........................................................ 40
1) High-level diplomacy ............................................................................. 41
1.i. The case of Lharkyal Lama ............................................................. 43
2) Buying Nepal ........................................................................................ 44
3) Infrastructure: the politics of road and rail construction .......................... 45
4) Beefing up Nepal’s security forces .................................................................. 47
4.i. The two armies .............................................................................. 47
4.ii. Policing the refugees .................................................................... 48
d) Chinese cultural export and influence on Nepali media ................................... 51
1) Cultural export ...................................................................................... 51
2) Media ................................................................................................... 52
The Situation for Long-staying Tibetan Refugees in Nepal ......................................... 57
a) Legal status ................................................................................................... 57
1) Refugee Cards ...................................................................................... 58
2) Citizenship ............................................................................................ 60
b) Socio-economic challenges faced by Tibetan refugees in Nepal ....................... 61
1) Remote Tibetan refugee settlements ...................................................... 62
2) Health and elderly care .......................................................................... 63
3) Property rights ...................................................................................... 64
4) Bike licenses ......................................................................................... 65