Repatriation first: Leaders say
Birtamode, October 06: The exiled Bhutanese leaders have demanded that repatriation should be the first option for Nepal government and the international community in the attempt to finding the permanent solution of the protracted crisis.
Reacting to the US statement to provide shelter to more than 60,000 exiled Bhutanese, they said on Friday that every one should respect the rights of the Bhutanese citizens to get back to their country.
"While we are fighting for establishment of democracy in Bhutan, why should the US take us to third country for settlement rather than extending support for democratic struggle. We are not able to understand," general secretary of Druk National Congress (DNC) Rinzin Dorji said. He said the first right of the exiled Bhutanese is to get repatriated to their homeland. He said the proposal of third country settlement before finding out what number of exiled Bhutanese actually wants to get repatriated is suspicious.
Leaders have been expressing suspicion over the intention of the US after assistant state secretary for refugee affairs Ellen Sauerbrey while addressing the UNHCR executive committee meeting in Geneva said the US is ready to settle some 50-60,000 exiled Bhutanese in the next 3-4 years.
President of Bhutan Gorkha National Liberation Front D. B. Rana Sampang said the exiled Bhutanese waited for more than 17 years in camps in hope to get back to their country with the establishment of democracy. He said, "The dreams of exiled Bhutanese in camp is democratic Bhutan, not the US. The international community should understand it."
The leaders further said the opinion expressed without actually knowing the sentiments of the Bhutanese citizens would be, moreover, a propaganda.
Chairman of Human Rights Organisation of Bhutan (HUROB) S. B. Subba said the countries and organisations who advocate for democracy and human rights should encourage the concern authority to respect the rights of exiled Bhutanese to get repatriated. Bhutan News Service