Fate of Tibetans hangs in balance

Hundreds of illegal Tibetans settled in Himachal Pradesh are likely to be rendered homeless after June this year, as the ministry of Home Affairs, in a communique issued in January, has permitted them to continue their stay in the country till June 30.

The ministry, however, has however termed their sojourn in India as illegal and is unlikely to issue another extension to prolong their stay, sources said.

The decision will take its toll on around 400 Tientsins, mostly monks, who had visited India in 2006 for pilgrimage on a special entry permit.
Majority of these Tibetans reside in Dharamshala and McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh, the home of the Dalai Lama. McLeodganj also houses the Tibetan government-in-exile.

The likely displacement of hundreds of Tibetans has left the Central Tibetan Administration worried about the safety of these Tibetan pilgrims who see India and monasteries in HP as a safe heaven.

Talking to Deccan Herald, TenzinPhuntsok Atisha, the secretary of the department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration, said the government needs to look at the issue beyond just a recurring extension of stay in India.