Open all options: Nepalese PM told

Kathmandu, September 16: A team of leaders advocating for opening all options for the solution of the refugee crisis met the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Friday and handed over a memorandum for early solution of the crisis.

Led by the camp secretary of Belgandi II Hari Bangale, the team urged the Nepal government to open up all the options that could help finding a permanent solution of the derailed crisis.

They demanded, "Especially, the government of Nepal should agree with the offer of the US government to resettle the exiled Bhutanese in any third country."

Bangale said, "The movement would be effective if it could be run with the support from strong countries like the US and the Canada than to launch movementfrom a country like Nepal which is very feeble in its diplomatic stand."

During his Nepal visit to Nepal last month the US senator Jim Kolbe had proposed that third country settlement of the exiled Bhutanese would be the best way to find a permanent and early solution of the crisis. He had held discussion with king Jigme Singye Wangchuk regarding the the issue of third country settlement during his official visit last month.

The proposal was backed by Canada and European Union. However, the government of Nepal has not  yet taken any decision other than repatriation through bilateral talks. The petioners accuse that the crisis prolonged due to fragile stand of the Nepal government.

Bangale said, "We now no more believe that Nepal can find solution of the crisis through bilateral talks." He claimed most of the Bhutanese in the camp have agreed with the proposal of third country settlement.

The country representative of the UN refugee agency in Nepal Abraham Abraham has already stated that UNHCR would act as mediator to any decisions of the government of Nepal.

By this time, some 11 countries have assured the Nepalese government to help in settlement of exiled Bhutanese. The proposing country US has said it can take some 50,000 to 70,000 of the refugees. Other countries offering to take refugees include Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Germany, Finland and Ireland. Bhutan News Service