Says repatriation has become almost impossible

Goldhap/Kathmandu, May 23:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Antonio Guterres, today said repatriation of Bhutanese refugees has become tougher.

“Repatriation has become almost impossible now,” he told a programme in the Goldhap refugee camp in Jhapa after his arrival from Kathmandu.

He, however, said that the UNHCR will stand by its belief that the refugees have the right to return to their homeland.

The refugees at the camp gave Guterres a warm welcome. Welcoming him,

secretary at Damak’s Beldangi-1 camp DP Pradhan said the UNHCR must resolve the 16-eyar-old issue at any cost.

Before leaving for Jhapa, Guterres said in Kathmandu that he would appeal to the Bhutan government for a “constructive attitude” in finding out a comprehensive solution to the crisis.

“I will appeal to Bhutan for a constructive attitude during my visit to Thimphu,” Guterres told a press meet in the capital. He said he was hopeful that his dialogue with the Bhutanese government on the issue would be constructive. He also appealed to countries willing to resettle the refugees to “accept them with an open heart.” He, however, said he would not ask Bhutan to establish a UNHCR office in Bhutan.

Guterres reiterated that India, as a country in this region, too, must have a positive attitude on the issue. “But let me clarify that I am not here with a political agenda but with a humanitarian one,” he said.

Saying that the refugees should be free to decide on repatriation or third country resettlement, the UNHCR chief termed resettlement as an “opportunity” to those refugees who opt for it. He also conceded that even Nepal has agreed to a third country resettlement.

“I express my gratitude to the Nepal government for accepting the third country resettlement as one of the options,” he said. He, however, added that the most desired solution is voluntarily repatriation.

Guterres said UNHCR is engaged in improving the lot of the refugees and helping them in fighting malnutrition and sexual violence, among others.

“We want to give them the best we can,” he said, labelling the 16 years of the refugees’ life in camps as “traumatic.”