ID cards distribution begins

Kathmandu, December 10: The government of Nepal and the UNHCR started distributing identity cards to the exiled Bhutanese living in the seven camps in Jhapa and Morang district of eastern Nepal today.

UNHCR hoped this will improve protection and assistance for some 108,000 registered exiled Bhutanese.

A program was organized in Sanischare camp in Morang district to start the distribution of the cards and it is intended that the exercise will be carried out on a camp by camp basis over the next few months.

ID cards will be issued free of charge to all registered persons, 16 years of age and above, and who were documented under a joint operation of the census of the population that was held in all the camps from November 15, 2006 to May 11, 2007.
 
"The distribution of identity cards is being launched after the completion of the census of the exiled Bhutanese held under the joint initiative of the Government of Nepal and UNHCR. In regard to the pending cases, the Government of Nepal has already initiated the process to take a policy decision on it," said Mod Raj Dotel, Joint Secretary/Coordinator, National Unit for the Coordination of Refugee Affairs (NUCRA), Ministry of Home Affairs of Nepal. The issuance of ID cards was one of the key goals of the census exercise.
 
“ID cards are an important protection tool, because the most basic element of refugee protection is to prove one’s identity in order to be able to readily access protection and assistance services,” said Abraham ABRAHAM, UNHCR Representative in Nepal.

“The ID cards would also ensure efficient and accountable distribution of as well as better monitoring of assistance, in that it reaches the right person,” added he. Bhutan News Service