REFUGEES IN INDIA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28988, 1 September 1959, Page 15

REFUGEES IN INDIA

“Many Sick Or Dying” (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 31. The "Daily Telegraph” today reported that Tibetan sources were claiming that many Tibetan refugees were sick or dying in Indian camps. The newspaper’s correspondent in Darjeeling, said: "I have been investigating the growing volume of disquieting reports about atrocious conditions in India's camps for Tibetan refugees. “According to Tibetan sources ‘thousands’ are sick or dying. “I have been refused information by the camp authorities, but I have it from Tibetan officials appointed by the Dalai Lama to go to the camps that after only two months in the one at Mismari there were more than 800 sick, 14 dead, and about 20 dying,” the correspondent said. “Two weeks ago I learned from one of the highest Tibetan officials that the figures had increased to ‘thousands sick and hundreds dead and dying.'” After saying that the Tibetan officials who report to Delhi are afraid to give a frank account of the conditions, the “Daily Telegraph's” correspondent added: “This is partly because they do not want to offend India, but mostly because they feel it is part of India's policy to keep everything connected with Tibet as quiet as possible. "If politically India has no intention of doing anything about Tibet or allowing Tibetans to do anything either, they reason, it follows that the same applies to the refugees.