RCU frauds in census, UNHCR concerns

Source: Apfanews.com
Beldangi/Kathmandu, May 8: Shat Kumar Pokhrel, the Assistant Refugee Coordination Unit (RCU) of Beldangi- II camp has registered three non-Bhutanese people during the re-registration process of exiled Bhutanese.

The press secretary of Bhutan Press Union (BPU) and chief editor of Jagaran, Khem Shandilya informed the BNS that the RCU has registered three non-Bhutanese people in place of three exiled Bhutanese from a same family.

They are learnt to have remained absent during the first round of the official census.

Shandilya quoted Kumar Sigdel (name changed), a resident of Beldangi-II camp as claiming that his interview including that of his two brothers was denied by the census team. However, after a long debate, the census team interviewed all three members of Sigdel family, who were absent earlier in January 8, on Monday.

The census team told Sigdel family that their interview was already done. The team also showed three fake photographs and filled-up forms of Sigdel family members, who were absent during the first round of census.

Kumar is further quoted as saying that they became surprised to see three photographs snapped already in place of them. “Though we saw those photos and filled-up forms we could not identify”, Sigdel said.

Meanwhile, Pokhrel is learnt to have met Kumar on May 5 and tried convincing him not to make the matter public. Shandilya quoted Kumar as saying that the assistant RCU also tried to give Nepalese currency 5,000 on the condition not to leak the matter. “I denied receiving the amount”, Sigdel said.

In a response to the BNS query, the UNHCR country representative in Nepal, Abraham ABRAHAM informed that the UNHCR has already begun investigation to sort out facts behind the case.

“We definitively would like to see investigation on that matter and I have initiated such process”, he said. Stating that fraud doesn’t help anywhere, ABRAHAM further said that persons of such a background would be disqualified if they apply for resettlement process.

ABRAHAM also said that a single case as such would not disturb the whole process of third country resettlement. “The UNHCR takes it seriously and deal within the framework of Nepalese law. Let’s allow the court to decide after we establish facts”, he added.

This is the first record of the fraud case during the official census carried on by the joint team of the UNHCR and Nepal government that concludes on May 11.

Canada offers space for 5,000

Source: Apfanews.com
Kathmandu, May 23: Canada said can resettle some 5,000 exiled Bhutanese as part of the third country resettlement programme in the next five years.

The AP news agency said Canadian government made the announcement on Tuesday.

"Our decision to resettle up to 5,000 exiled Bhutanese in Canada is part of a coordinated effort by a number of countries to address this longstanding situation once and for all," the news report quoted Canadian Immigration Minister Diane Finley as saying.

Since a few years, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been trying a combination of voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement.

"Today marks an important milestone in the effort to resolve a longstanding situation of forced displacement," Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay.

"But we encourage the governments of Bhutan and Nepal to continue to work together with the UNHCR to fulfil their commitment to find a comprehensive and lasting solution to the situation," he added.

Three Nepalis register as refugees in Beldangi camp

Source: Nepalnews.com
Three Nepalis have been reported registered as refugees in Beldangi II camp during the ongoing census carried out jointly by the UNHCR and Nepal government.

According to apfanews.com, a news portal run by the refugees, assistant chief of the Refugee Coordination Unit (RCU) of the camp Shat Kumar Pokhrel registered three Nepalis under a family whose three members were absent during the earlier round of census.

Editor of the news portal TP Mishra told Nepalnews that three Nepalis were registered under the Sigdel family of Sector I-4 of the camp.

The census team is also reported to have agreed for interviewing the three members of the family on May 5 after prolonged debate and discussion. The three Nepalis were registered on January 28.

The report said the RCU official tried to bribe the Sigdel family with Rs 5,000 pleading not to leak out the issue.

The Sigdel family was shown only the photos of those Nepalis who were registered but not allowed to see their names and other details because of which they were unable to identify the persons.

The UNHCR said investigation into the issue has already begun.

The census is due to end on May 11.

Foreign Minister says all options open for Bhutanese refugees

Source: Nepalnews.com
Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan has said the government is open to all options for finding solution of the protracted Bhutanese refugee crisis.

Speaking at the Foreign Affairs Committee of the parliament on Wednesday, minister Pradhan also informed that repatriation process and resettlement, including third-country resettlement, of the refugees would go hand in hand.

Pradhan also mentioned that the US government had shown interest in taking around 60,000 refugees. Similarly, Australia pledged to take in 1000 refugees and Demark only 200.

She said the decision was according to the willingness shown by the donors because they wish to resettle the refugees in their own country rather than in UNHCR-managed camps in eastern Nepal.

She, however, noticed that resettlement of the refugees would bring further problems but did not elaborate it.

Canada, Netherlands and other Scandinavian countries have also expressed their interest in taking refugees but the number has not been fixed.

After failing to give Bhutan any option to take back its citizens, the Nepal government has now said it is open to three major options: repatriation, assimilation and resettlement of the refugees as per the demand from donor countries. nepalnews.com ia May 09 07

1278 census cases pending

Source: Apfanews.com
The official census jointly conducted by UNHCR and government of Nepal has kept 1278 cases pending.

These cases are termed as ‘Census Pending.’

As per the study conducted by Association of Human RIghts Activists (AHURA-Bhutan), the number os such pending cases are 186 in Beldangi-I, 392 in Beldangi-II, 146 in Beldangi-II Extension, 249 in Sanischare, 29 in Goldhap, 125 in Khudunabari and 151 in Timai camp.