Government Authorities urged to verify Tibetan refugee issue by All West Kameng District Students' Union

Our Correspondent

Itanagar, July 21: The All West Kameng District Students' Union (AWKDSU) has demanded of the state government for immediate constitution of a committee to verify the Tibetan refugees in the district availing the benefits of scheduled tribes. The Union, while claiming that altogether 14 Tibetans in West Kameng district are allegedly availing benefits of both ST certificates and refugee cards, said that it is not against the settlement of Tibetan refugees in the district so long as they are availing government benefits as refugees, but would never let them enjoy benefits of both scheduled tribes and refugee card.

"We have neither resorted to go back refugee slogan nor against their settlement at the designated area in the district, but we want government to verify and identify doubtful refugees availing benefits of both facilities," said AWKDSU vice president (protocol) Steven Jebel Sichisow.

The union claimed that out of 123 Tibetan refugees settled in West Kameng, 14 of them are doubtful of having both refugee card and scheduled tribe certificates. The AWKDSU has served a 15-day ultimatum on the district administration to verify those doubtful refugees by constituting a fact-finding committee and also demanded immediate cancellation of ST certificates and land allotments given to them. The students' body has threatened that any failure to verify the status of doubtful refugees would invite democratic agitation.