Nepal

UNHCR to stop supporting Bhutanese refugees

UNHCR to stop supporting Bhutanese refugees

By Himalayan News Service

This picture taken on January 31, 2017 shows the Beldangi refugee camp inhabited by thousands of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal's eastern Jhapa district. Photo: AFP

Jhapa, December 19 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Damak Branch Chief K Fansa has said the UN refugee agency won’t support Bhutanese refugees from the year 2020. Talking to journalists in Damak at a joint discussion today, K Fansa claimed that so far 92 per cent of the problem related to Bhutanese refugees had been resolved. “We’ve been continuously helping refugees residing in Jhapa and Morang since 1990, and we’ve completed most of our work,” said Fansa. “We won’t do anything from the upcoming year and return by handing over the remaining refugees to the Nepal government,” added Fansa. “Regarding the remaining refugees, we have reached arrangements on their shelter and food, and signed contracts with local schools for the education of refugee kids,” said UNHCR Damak programme coordinator Jamesh Mando. Similarly, while refugee women and youths have been provided various income generating trainings, agreements have been reached with Damak Hospital and AMDA for treatment facility for the refugees. For drinking water, the UNHCR has built a 100,000 litre capacity water tank targeting the refugees.