The Bhutanese Refugees are observing the World Refugee day with various programs. PFHRB sources say that the day’s program is organized by UNHCR, Implementing Partners, HMG Nepal and the Refugee Community. The objectives of the program are to create awareness in the universe that Refugees have hope and aspiration to lead normal lives and everybody have a responsibility to make Refugee free world. Let all the countries exercise their wisdom and power to bring to an end to the refugee crisis and let no Nation produce refugees any more.

Background
The ethnic cleansing policy of Royal Government of Bhutan had come to the surface with the imprisonment and termination of the then elected Royal Advisory Councilor, Mr. T.N. Rizal, alleging him as a traitor and act of treason for the Joint appeal to His Majesty on behalf of the people made by the then Royal advisory councilors, Mr. T. N. Rizal and Mr. Bidhya Pati Bhandari.

There were mass arrest, torture, rape, eviction, forceful migration by making the people fill the so called 'voluntary migration form' after the peaceful demonstration of Human Rights and Democracy. The evicted people have traveled through India and were provided asylum by the HMG Nepal under the care of UNHCR since 1992.

There had been series of Joint Ministerial and secretarial level meetings of HMG Nepal and Bhutan to resolve the refugee crisis. The 12th Joint Ministerial Committee Meeting of Nepal and Bhutan is over due after the completion of verification of 12000 refugees living in one of the seven refugee camps, Khudunabari. The 12th round Nepal- Bhutan talk was expected by February 2002. The hope of refugee repatriation looks very dim for this year as Nepal is going to hold general election by 6 months and the RGOB have the excuse to delay of having no Nepali counterpart for talks.

The Bhutanese dissident leaders and the refugees are looking for various alternatives to keep the Bhutanese refugee crisis alive in this unfortunate situation.

Appeal

PFHRB would like to request you to kindly provide us the valuable ideas, suggestions and programs to find an amicable solution to the decade plus old Bhutanese refugee crisis. We appreciate and thank all for their continuous support.

D.P.Kafley,

General Secretary, PFHRB