Third country settlement begins
Kathmandu, July 22: A senior UNHCR official has said that 16-year-old issue of exiled Bhutanese stalemate has reached a crucial juncture and that all options needed to be kept open to find its durable solution.
Addressing a press conference in Kathmandu on Saturday at the conclusion of her three-day visit to Nepal, Assistant High Commissioner, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, said UNHCR was trying to get exit visas for 16 most vulnerable cases, including women and girls who were raped or were orphans. “They are really not in a state to spend their time in the camps without endangering their lives. We got the agreement of the Foreign Minister to grant exit visas after they have validated their cases to US and Canada,” she added.
She further said, “Despite several bilateral talks, there hasn’t been a single repatriation. Even though, it’s just 16, it’s a very promising start. So, I am optimistic.”
Hopkins said Nepal government had now allowed doing a census in seven camps in the eastern Nepal. She said she hoped to work with Nepal government and donor countries for possible resettlement of the Bhutanese.
When asked why the UNHCR was stressing only the option of resettlement, Hopkins said whenever there is a refugee situation of this sort, UNHCR advocates for three possible durable solution: to go back home or repatriation of the refugees; resettlement to a third country; and local integration in the host country.
“I believe the government of Nepal is willing to look at the alternative solutions, one of them being repatriation,” she said further.
Hopkins said India was going to be a very pivotal, major country to resolve this crisis adding, UNHCR was discussing with India at various levels and within SAARC so that the issue of exiled Bhutanese issue gets a priority in the Indian point of view.
UNHCR country representative in Nepal, Abraham Abraham, said India is trying to maintain certain neutrality and doesn’t like to engage on matters that are discussed bilaterally. He further said, “(India) has indicated that they will provide technical and other support when repatriation process starts.”
Abraham said the UNHCR hopes the new government of Nepal would resume bilateral talks with Bhutan. Bhutan News Service