Nepalese PM Urged to talk on refugee issue

KATHMANDU, June 7: Various Nepalese human rights defenders and members of the civil society movement on Tuesday urged the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to hold discussions with the Indian government to resolve the decade-and-half-old issue of exiled Bhutanese.

Handing over a memorandum to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala before his departure to India for a four-day official visit, 14 prominent civil society and human rights defenders have suggested that the government revoke decisions made in the past including "improper classification" of Bhutanese into four categories that curtailed their rights.

They have asked the government to give proper attention to provide health, education, security and other needs of refugees and give recognition to politicians-in-exile along with necessary security to Tek Nath Rijal, Bhutanese human rights leader. Bhutan had jailed Rizal for 10 years before releasing him in 1999, bowing to the international community's pressure.

In his first foreign visit after the restoration of democracy in Nepal, Nepalese Prime Minsiter reached New Delhi on Tuesday for four-day visit. Bhutan News Service