The Tibet Post

Dharamsala: 29 July at the press-conference held in Dharamsala a nongovernmental organization labelled Sambad Nepal drew forth it's statement concerning the future of Tibetan refugees in Pokhara. Before that two representatives of the organization together with its Chairperson Nilkantha Sharma had a string of meetings with officials of Tibetan Government in Exile - His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibetan prime minister, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, the Speaker for Tibetan Parliament Penpa Tsering, and the Minister of Information and International Relations Kelsang Takla. 

According to Sambad Nepal's statement, the organization established around five years ago in Pokhara works in the sphere of human rights, trying among other issues to draw attention to the problems of Tibetan refugees in Nepal. After the protest of March 2008 in Lhasa, the organization enhanced its efforts trying to raise the importance of the Tibetan issue among Nepali population and make pressure on its Government. Thus were organized forums discussing the problems of Tibetan refugees and was shot a documentary film in Nepali language on the subject.

"The situation in Nepal is very intense now: many Nepali people themselves in their own country undergo human rights violations seeking refuge abroad, so we can understand the situation of Tibetan people living in exile," stressed Nilkantha Sharma. Mentioning their achievements, Mr Sharma pointed out that the demands concerning Tibetan refugee problems, which were presented to Nepali Government, were accepted and taken to consideration by the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Nilkantha Sharma also drew his opinion on the question of 35 anti-China protesters that were recently arrested at the Nepali/Tibet border, while they were trying to march into Tibet: "China is a very strong neighbour and makes a huge pressure on us but Tibetan and Nepali people are very close. So many times Nepali people prevented Tibetans from crossing the border because if they do, Chinese military forces are going to kill them. Thus we are trying to protect their lives and human rights statutes," he emphacised.

According to the words of Nilkantha Sharma, during his meeting with H.H. the Dalai Lama both have found it crucial to withstand the problem of human rights violation, especially in the context of the Tibetan refugee problem. "His Holiness stressed that Nepal and Tibet are like twins and there is a strong link between both countries - for example, centuries ago a Tibetan King Songtsen Gompo took for his wife the Nepali Princess Brikuti and religiously Nepal appears to be a Tibet's guruji ( teacher), since Buddhism came to Tibet through Nepal," he shared.      

At the end of his speech Mr Sharma stated that a lot of Nepali people are aware of Tibetan refugees' problems and wished Tibetans a successful return to their motherland.