10,000 to be resettled in first phase

Damak, January 10: The US envoy to Nepal Nancy J Powell said at least 10,000 exiled Bhutanese will be resettled in her country in the first phase.

Nepalese media reported on Thursday quoting officials that the process of resettlement will being from March this year.

Earlier, the US officials expressed hope that the process will begin from January end.

Speaking Wednesday at the inaugurating function of the office of Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) in Damak, Powell resettlement was a compulsion because there is no prospect of repatriation despite efforts made for last 18 years.

However, she said her country will make efforts to get the resettled Bhutanese back to homeland once the situation become normal.

She claimed present situation in Bhutan is not conducive for repatriation and they mught face re-eviction if sent forcefully.

Officials of the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), newly appointed UNHCR chief in Nepal Daisy Dale, Danish and Norwegian ambassadors to Nepal were also present at the function. Bhutan News Service