Nepal seeks UNHCR's help to repatriate Bhutanese refugees
KATHMANDU: Nepal has urged the UN refugee agency UNHCR to exert pressure on Bhutan for the voluntary repatriation of Bhutanese refugees who would be left in Nepal after the conclusion of third-country resettlement programme.
Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharat Mahat, who is currently in Geneva to take part in the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council, called on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi at the UNHCR office on Monday, and discussed the issue of Bhutanese refugees, according to the Geneva-based Permanent Mission of Nepal.
During the meeting, Minister Mahat clearly stated that it was the responsibility of Bhutan to take back the Bhutanese who are not resettled in third countries, the Mission said in a statement. He reiterated that it was an inalienable right of the Bhutanese refugees, wherever they have been settled, to go back to their homeland, according to the Mission.
After the third-country resettlement programme, supported by the UNHCR, was introduced in 2007/2008, more than 1,08,600 Bhutanese refugees have found new home in eight countries -- the United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands -- so far. The US alone has hosted more than 85 per cent of them.
It is estimated that around 11,000 refugees are still left in Nepal, either waiting for resettlement or repatriation.
In response to Minister Mahat, the High Commissioner noted that he was clear about the position of Nepal on the Bhutanese refugees and would do his best, within his means, in further continuing the third-country resettlement, and exert moral pressure for voluntary repatriation.
He also said that the UNHCR would continue supporting the remaining refugees in the camps.
Meeting with UNHCR high Commissioner in Geneva about Bhutanese refugees. He promised to continue support until their cases are settled.
— Dr. Prakash S. Mahat (@DrPSMahat) February 27, 2017
On the sidelines of the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council, Minister Mahat held a meeting with Switzerland's Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter today to seek Swiss support for Nepal's candidature in the Human Rights Council for the term of 2018-2020.
The elections for Human Rights Council are scheduled in New York in October-November later this year.
Minister Mahat would meet Australian, Kazakh and Pakistani ministers on the sidelines of the session to solicit support for Nepal's candidature.
Mahat had arrived in Geneva yesterday. He is scheduled to address the high-level segment of the session tomorrow. The Human Rights Council session would continue till March 24.
Also, he is set to meet the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organizations (WIPO).
