By Tenzin Choephel
Phayul Correspondent in Kathmandu
The World Refugee Day was observed here at the Tibetan Refugee Transit Center in Kathmandu amid a small function attended by some officials of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), staff of the Center, about 100 newly arrived Tibetans and media people.
The function began with a speech by Mr. Lhundrup Dorjee, Manager of the Center, who said Tibetans come to seek refuge to escape religious and political prosecution in Tibet and to seek educational opportunities.Mr. Dorjee later read out the message of UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
Ms. Sunita Shrestha, an officer of Lutherin World Foundation (LWF) that took over the administration of the Center after the then Nepal Government ordered the closure of the Office of the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, also addressed the gathering.
Mr. Douglas Desalvo, Associate Protection Officer of the UNCHR in his speech said that the “United Nation’s goal is to protect refugees from being send back to their homeland to face prosecution and provide a safe journey to India to realize their dreams of joining monastery or school”. He expressed hope that the UNHCR would be able to help the Tibetans when they return to Tibet in future.
“It is the dream and hope of every refugee to return to their homeland with dignity”, Mr. Desalvo said. When asked if the UN was doing anything to help small number of Tibetans returning to Tibet, he said the UN might help only in case there were large number of people wishing to return, otherwise it was directly between Tibetans and Chinese and UN did not have any role.
Dr. Dinesh Binod Pokhrel of Teaching Hospital later gave a presentation on the basic health and sanitation system for newly arrived Tibetans at the Center.
