Bhutanese refugees seek all party discussion to solve their issues

By Our Correspondent,Damak, Nov.1 : Bhutanese refugees living in the camps in Beldangi, an area in Damak Municipality of Jhapa district, have demanded an all-party discussion to address their issues.

The refugees marched around the camp on Tuesday to draw the attention of António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Guterres is currently in Nepal at an invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.

The refugees had put forth their demands at a press meeting organised at the end of the rally. 

“We request the United Nations to create an environment for the authorities of Bhutan, Nepal and India in the presence of the representatives of the refugees and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to discuss the prevailing issues faced by the refugees in Nepal,” said Sanchahang Subba, secretary of the Bhutani Refugees Settlement Management Committee.

Subba stressed that the process of relocating Bhutanese refugees should not be stopped until there are refugees left behind.  Until now, over 113,000 Bhutanese refugees have been relocated to eight different countries from Nepal.

“The United Nations speak for the human rights of every refugee across the world. They should speak and lobby for us as well,” said Subba.

Subba also highlighted that the process of relocation was affected since the UNHCR, a dedicated UN body for refugees’ problems, pulled its hands out from the problems of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal.

Subba informed, “The UNHCR stopped providing relief items after 2018. Since then, the condition of the refugees in Beldangi has been deteriorating.”

Bhutanese refugees in Beldangi said that there were still over 7,500 refugees left in the camps in Nepal.

“The remaining refugees could not go abroad due to different reasons that require proper investigation. The refugees want to be with their relatives and family members abroad. They should be relocated at the earliest,” demanded Subba.