Damak, June 5:

Jhapa district administration has barred Bhutanese refugees from walking in groups and staging demonstrations in and outside refugee camps with effect from today.

“Recent demonstrations by Bhutanese refugees have had a negative impact on camp security arrangements,” acting chief district officer of Jhapa district Laxman Prasad Hamal said.

Seeking repatriation, refugees associated with the Street Struggle Committee had staged protests recently. The committee has been protesting the act of resettling Bhutanese refugees in third countries. However, the committee said yesterday it will not stage protests unless a new government is formed in Nepal.

The district administration has barred refugees from organising protests on the Mechi Bridge along the Indo-Nepal border.

“As tension arose on the Indo-Nepal border due to protests of Bhutanese refugees, we have barred the latter from staging protests,” security officials said.

Meanwhile, a case has been filed at the Jhapa District Administration Office against nine Bhutanese refugees, who were held on May 25 with weapons, inspector Mohan Thapa said.

The police have identified the arrested as Chatur Singh Moktan, Chandra Prasad Kafle, Prahalad Rai, Junu Bhujel, Kumar Pokhrel, Yam Bahadur Adhikari, Gangaram BK, Mani Kumar BK and Bhuwan Singh Kafle.

Though underground organisations of Bhutanese refugees have been demanding the release of the arrestees, the district administration has been maintaining that they cannot be released.