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The influx of Bhutanese refugees into Nepal began in late 1991 and peaked in 1992.
Since 1997, there have been few new arrivals. Currently,
some 96,000 persons are accommodated and assisted in seven refugee camps
in eastern Nepal. UNHCR started providing assistance in late 1991, at the
request of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal.
While alleging that they were deprived of their nationality and forced
to leave their home country, the Bhutanese refugees continue to express
their wish to return to Bhutan. In pursuit of a solution to this refugee
problem, the governments of Bhutan and Nepal have had a series of
bilateral talks. At the outset, the two governments agreed to categorise
the camp residents into four groups: 1) bona fide Bhutanese who may
have been forcefully evicted; 2) Bhutanese who emigrated; 3)
non-Bhutanese; and 4) Bhutanese who have committed criminal acts.
Following the agreement to categorise the refugees into different
groups, the two governments were to begin a joint verification of the
refugees in order to determine who could return to Bhutan. However, this
joint verification has not taken place. The Bhutanese authorities have
cited the frequent changes in government in Nepal as an impediment in this
regard. The Nepalese authorities refute this suggestion and claim that
there is a consensus among political parties in Nepal on this question,
and they accuse the Bhutanese of bad faith in the bilateral discussion
process. UNHCR has repeatedly urged both governments to address the
refugee problem expeditiously, and has offered to assist in the
implementation of an agreement on repatriation.
The governments of Bhutan and Nepal have recently agreed to resume
Ministerial level talks in Kathmandu in September 1999. The talks are
intended to establish procedures for a joint verification of the refugee
caseload. UNHCR is closely following the bilateral discussions and
continues to urge that an early humanitarian solution to this problem be
found.
September 1999
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