Interviews for resettlement begins

Damak, October 02: The UN High Commission for Refugees, without consulting the Bhutanese leaders in exile which they had demanded, has began verifying the interviewing the exiled Bhutanese intended for third country settlement.

The task began a few days ago and a selected group of people are invited secretly to its office in Damak. Those who attended the interviews denied telling what was asked and why were they called.

The UNHCR has also not given details of the works, it has been carrying even during the off days. Smaller numbers of the exiled Bhutanese were called to recently established office of the International Organization of Migration since few weeks back. IOM has been picked up as the OPE by the US government for resettlement of the exiled Bhutanese.

Only those who had earlier submitted their applications expressing willingness for third country settlement have been called for interviews.

Though, most Bhutanese leaders in exile have consented positively to the third country settlement process, they asked the concerned authorities to discuss the matter with them formally before it begins and ensure that the process would not shatter the movement for democracy and human rights in Bhutan and further eviction of southern Bhutanese Bhutan News Service