Agitating Bhutanese agree to withdraw protest programs

Following the assurances of registration and other facilities as enjoyed by other fellow-countrymen from the Chief District Officer of Jhapa, Yadav Prasad Koirala, the struggling committee conducting a relay hunger strike in all seven camps decided to withdraw their programs from Saturday.

“We are told that the government of Nepal will soon initiate the verification to decide our status,” said Nandu Paudel of the committee, emerging out of a meeting with the district administration in Chandragadi today. “We have given an ultimatum of 15 days to address our concerns,” he added.

Earlier today, committee’s members and camp secretaries reached the CDO’s office to submit a 10-point demand paper for ending the strike.

They demanded registration of non-registered and de-registered Bhutanese, settling all pending cases for refugee status, issuance of photo identity cards to those whose registration was over, and facilitate local women married to Bhutanese for an aid basket, among others.

CDO communicated to the delegation that he had already notified the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding their demands and concerns.

He also expressed that the registration would begin at the earliest.