05/24/06 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS FOR REFUGEES TO RESUME

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05/24/06 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS FOR REFUGEES TO RESUME

BY BISHNU BUDHATHOKI Kantipur Online publication Wednesday, May 24, 2006 KATHMANDU, May 24 - The government on Tuesday decided to resume the issuing of travel documents to Tibetan and Bhutanese refugees, who have been sheltering in Nepal under the aegis of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson Yadav Khanal said that MoFA would issue travel documents to the refugees, allowing them to go abroad to attend meetings or for other necessary purposes, at the recommendation of the Home Ministry. In October last year, the king-led government had abruptly decided to halt issuing travel documents and also exit permits for Tibetan people in transit to asylum in India. Last week, the Home Ministry sent a letter to MoFA seeking the latter's consent for resuming the withheld service. However, MoFA has not taken any decision regarding issuing of exit permits to Tibetans in transit. Hundreds of transitingTibetans have been living in misery in Kathmandu as the erstwhile government took an 'unofficial' decision last year not to issue them exit permits. A member of the Tibetan refugee community in Nepal said, "All Tibetans in transit believe that the democratic government will not repeat what the erstwhile government had done." He also appealed to the government to allow them to reopen the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office (TRWO), which was closed by the then government on January 21, 2005 on the charge of operating without registrating with the government. However, a government official said, "We will resume the service of issuing travel documents and exit permits promptly after receiving consent from MoFA, but it may not be possible to allow them to reopen TRWO without its being registered."