From the Nepali Press
Annapurna Post, 25 November
As western countries discuss tightening restrictions on entry of Syrian refugees in the aftermath of the deadly Paris attacks, Nepal is also preparing to close the door to people fleeing the war-torn Arab country.
Nepal is far from activity of the ISIS, the Syria-Iraq based Islamic state that has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks in which 130 people were killed. But authorities here believe that ISIS-affiliated terrorists could use Nepal as a transit to enter the US and other European countries as refugees.
A meeting between Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA)’s Law and Division Chief Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, Department of Immigration (DoI)’s Director General Kedar Neupane and senior security officials on Tuesday recommended restrictions on entry of Syrian refugees into Nepal.
The meeting decided to ask Home Minister Shakti Basnet to revoke provisions of on-arrival visa for Syrian people.
Nepal grants on-arrival visa for people from all but 11 war-torn and politically instable countries. Only peoples from Nigeria, Swaziland, Liberia, Palestine, Ghana, Cameron, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia and Iraq have to apply for visa before they fly to Kathmandu.
As war escalated in Syria and hundreds of thousands of Syrian people started to migrating to the West, Nepal had last year decided to ‘closely monitor’ entry of Syrian people in Kathmandu. In the last two years, Nepal has detained 24 Syrian citizens who entered into Kathmandu on fake passports.
Go back to previous page
Nepal should remain alert, but the unstable governance and the corrupted officials at borders make anyone get an easy access into Nepal. I have noticed many Madrasas around Kathmandu valley, like the Christian missionaries all around in Nepal. If the government of Nepal doesn’t remain vigilant on these fanatic missionaries in Nepal, they will surely build a nest to breed many fanatics in Nepal, which in future will create unimaginable trouble in Nepal. If some one is reading my comment, tell others, I mean it for the sake of peace in Nepal, awake the government officials and stop all these breeding grounds of fanatics in Nepal.
Tashi Lama above has good points – all these religious fanatics should be dealt similarly, which includes the churchwallas. They’re fomenting significant vitriol in the society and sowing seeds of ethnic hatred. They should be actively persecuted according to the law for proselytizing.
The real issue being Border security. If Nepal guarantees tight borders and cooperation in intelligentsia with India we shall overcome. Belgium was weak how they let this happen? Communication between police abd security, Nasa, cia, intelligentsia seems to be as important as life. So yes a neigbour that is less helpless, more pro active. taliban , Isis come with money and many fake passports.
I find the official policy and unofficial popular reaction in Nepal (including this article and the comments on it) towards would-be refugees from countries in which there are major security issues, including the very few asylum seekers from Syria, extremely depressing and unduly negative. It is clear that no distinction is made between would-be immigrants and would-be refugees (asylum seekers) and all are regarded as potential terrorists or fanatical missionaries. Shame on you.