A Kathmandu diary

Despite the arrival of democracy in Nepal, people coming out of Tibet in recent times still face the same old difficulties in the hands of the border guards. They are asked for huge bribes before being allowed to cross into Nepal. Tibetans who cann’t pay the bribes are laible to be handed back to the Chinese guards. There are even stories of some being turned back even after they have paid the bribes. This can happen quite easily because between Kathandu and Tatopani, the furthest point on the Nepalese side of the border, there no less than ten checkpoints. The refugee is liable to be harassed at each of the check-posts. One would have though hardly anyone could get through all those barriers. But no, I was told by Tibetan government officials here, about 300 refugees a month on average are able to surmount all these difficulties and arrive safely in the Nepalese capital.

What is even more strange is that the Chinese seem to be abnormally lenient at the border these days. I was told that there have been cases of refugees, having been turned back by the Nepalese guards, making fresh attempts with the encouragement of the Chinese guards! Unbelievable, but more than one source told me that.

I was in Nepal on this—my first ever—visit at the invitation of Peace Movement Nepal and Nepal Watch(Germany) to attend the first ever International Workshop on Human Rights Violations in the Himalaya. Most of the 100 or so participants at the 6-10 December workshop were from Nepal. But there were also enough representation from India, Bhutan, Germany, USA, UK and the Netherlands. Besides myself, there was only one other Tibetan—Pema Thinley from the Human Rights Desk of the Tibetan Information Office in Dharamsala. Ten members of the local Tibetan Women’s Association were also to join in. However, they backed out with a feeble excuse at the last minute. I had originally intended to be there purely as a reporter. However, under the circumstances, it seemed unfair to let Pema shoulder the responsibility of explaining the human rights situation inside Tibet all by himself. So I soon found myself also engaged in heated debates with other participants. In the end, with the help of several non-Tibetans, we managed to get the plight of the Tibetans and their right to self-determination clearly spelt out in the resolution.

The evening before the workshop was to begin, the organisers got a telephone call from someone claiming to be a journalists asking for detail—not all details, though. He only wanted to know how many Tibetans were taking part, where they were from and what their names were. The organisers became suspicious and asked him to identify himself more fully. The caller put the phone down without replying.

While the first session of the workshop was on, a Chiense gentlemen carrying a card identifying himself as a report for the Hsinhua newsagency came to the hotel and—once gain—wanted to know which Tibetans were taking part. The organisers told him there are other journalists inside and invited him to join in. He left saying he didn’t have the time. He took with a copy of the list of participants. The organisers didn’t mind because it wasn’t supposed to be secret, but the Chinese gentlement must have though he was in for a promotion.

Legendary is the success of the Tibetan businessman in Kathmandu, especially in manufacture and export of carpets. The native response to this undeniable fact is mixed. A Nepali intellectual at the workshop sounded not a little jealous. “Tibetans in Kathmandu are not considered refugess,” was the way he put it to me. “They are a privileged class.” A few others in the course of the workshop itself made pointed remarks about Nepali “child labour” employed by Tibetan carpet manufacturers. Yet another particpant told me that Tibetans and Nepalis here enjoy most satisfactory relationship. “We all love Tibetans, and their economic success is also good for the country,” he said. “We also know how honest and straighforward they are. To date not a single Tibetan here has been put in jail for theft or such crimes.”

The Tibetans also justify their position by pointing out that they have not indulged in any unlawful activities to achieve their success. Tibetan carpet industry in Nepal has now displaced tourism as the prime source of foreign exchange. Which is the main reason why the Nepali government do not place any obstacles on their way, other than making them take up Nepalese citizenship if they want export licenses. As for emplying child labour, theys ay the Nepalis are not forced to work for them, and neither are they treated as slaves. Thair parents beg the Tibetans to employ them, and no one is kept there against his or her will.

The source of jealousy incertain quarters of the Nepali community is of course the ingrained Tibetan habit of conspicuous consumption. All Tibetan businessmen openly eat, dress and otherwise spend their money well. Donation seekers for Tibetan causes in India are always guaranteed full satisfaction. At home they have all the modern aminities. On festive occasions they, especially the ladies, come out decked fully in the fineries of the pre-1959 Lhasa aristocracy.

Tibetans also told me that the jealous Nepalis are bieng rather short-sighted. Most of the money earned by Tibetans here are ploughed back into nepalese economy through their conspicuous consumption or whate4ver. The Nepalese are not aware, these Tibetans told me, of the steady inroad being made even in the carpet business by the Marwaries from India, who, through sheer hard work, make lots of money but spend hardly any of it in Nepal itself. Instead, most of their earnings are remitted to their relatives in India. The Nepalis only look at the exterior. On the one hand, they see Tibetan wearing three piece suits or trendy jeans, drinking Tuborg or Scotch and earing fillet steaks in posh restaurant. On the other hand, they see Marwari clad in scanty loincloths, eating rice and pulse and chewing betel leaves for luxury. So naturally the Nepali onlookers puts two and two together and comes out with five and a half.

The workshop discussed the entire gamut of human rights problems in the Himalayan regions. Domination of elites in environment, education, language, access to information, political participation, religion and culture and similar topics were discussed with no holds barred. Nepali governments of the past, present and future were freely criticised. A conference of this nature would never have been allowed to be held in Kathmandu until this year, everyone assured me. And this freedom of speech was also evident in strictly Tibetan gatherings. I learnt that until recently the rulers of the kingdom were so susceptible to Chinese dictate that they would not allow Tibetans to gather even for religious purposes. All that is changed now. The religious ceremony marking the anniversary of the award of Nobel Peace Prize to the Dalai Lama was held with full traditional glory. Not only that. Speeches were made afterwards in Tibetan English talking about the human rights situation in Tibet and question of self-determination. No one got arrested or otherwise harassed.

The only disagreement among the participants at the workshop appeared towards the end. Fortunately, the discord was among the Nepalis themselves. One group wanted the workshop resolution to stress the need for making Nepal a secular state. Another group objected that foreigners (who were participating) have no business seeking to interfere with Nepal’s consitution. If this were so, the first group, retaliated, the workshop also has no business talking about problems in Tibet or Bhutan. The session dragged on well past the usual dinner time, and the working language had changed from English to Nepali when I had to make my excuses and leave for another appointment. Later I learnt that a compromise was arrived at whereby it was resolved that no single religious group will dominate over the others.

In the evenings it is rather difficult to get taxis in the Nepalese capital—much more so than in Delhi. And when you do manage to persaude a driver to take you where he does not want to go, he would openly ask for twice the usual fare. But once you get into a taxi you get safely to whereever you wanted to go from the shortest route. This is so different form Delhi where the taxi drivers can devise all kinds of ploys to charge you even more than what was agreed on. Besides, the Nepalese are so polite and well-behaved compared to the foul mouthed gangters who pose as taxi drivers in Delhi, that you don’t really mind paying the extra.

The return journey was also exciting. Fifteen minutes out of the airport and the taxi had to go straight back, past the aiport, through bumpy village roads and, after an agonizingly long time, back on the main road. All because the traffic had been diverted for miles several hours before India’s honoured guest from Peking was to arrive.

At long last time was at sight and I heaved a sigh of relief. But at that time I had no idea that I was walking into house arrest, did I?