Kathmandu, January 3:

The Bhutanese Movement Steering Committee (BMSC) has said that the remarks made by the Bhutanese Prime Minister regarding refugees will affect diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bhutan.

PM Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk had told the National Assembly resently that the Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal were terrorists and that “allowing the highly politicised people into Bhutan would mean importing readymade political parties and terrorists to duplicate the violence, terror, and instability the Maoists have unleashed in Nepal”. “This is a serious and baseless allegation being labeled against the people victimised by the regime and living in UNHCR-sponsored camps in Nepal, said a statement issued by Thinley Penjore yesterday.

“It is completely against Nepal’s spirit and efforts towards resolving the refugee crisis and the UNHCR’s continuation in providing humanitarian assistance to them (Bhutanese refugees),” the statement said. It demanded the UNHCR and the Government of Nepal to respond immediately to the superfluous statement of Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk in the Bhutan’s National Assembly.

The Prime Minister’s statement can ignite unprecedented uprising against the Bhutanese regime, the statement said.

The BMSC has appealed to the international community to bestow justice on the process

by persuading good office of India for its involvement without any further delay.

Also today, the Association of Press Freedom Activists of Bhutan expressed serious concern over the statement made by the Bhutanese Prime Minister.