Repatriation campaign for Bhutanese refugees launched in Nepal

KATHMANDU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Non-political organizations based in Jhapa district in eastern Nepal have initiated campaigns to pave the way for the repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees back home.

According to Friday's nepalnews.com, as a part of the campaign, these organizations namely Human Rights Organization of Bhutan, Bhutanese Refugees Repatriation Council and Bhutan Gorkha National Liberation Front have started filling out forms for repatriation of the refugees at all the seven Bhutanese refugee camps in different parts of Jhapa and Morang districts.

The form, scripted in both English and Nepali, features details of the refugees, such as address in Bhutan, citizenship, land and property ownership and family information.

Once filled out, these forms would be sent to the concerned bodies, the organizations said. The organizers believe the campaign will help draw international attention to the Bhutanese refugees' situation and build up pressure on the Bhutanese government for their repatriation.

The repatriation campaign will continue for two months. According to the International Organization on Migration, more than 15,000 Bhutanese refugees so far have been resettled in seven different countries including the United States, Australia and Netherlands, among others.

Some 106,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in seven camps in eastern Nepal for the last 18 years.