Bhutanese refugees flee camps in droves

Source: eKantipur.com
BY CHETAN ADHIKARI

DAMAK, Aug 27 - Owing to lack of security due to frequent riots inside the refugee camps here in Beldangi of Jhapa, incidents of Bhutanese refugees leaving the camps have increased recently.

The refugees started fleeing since May when riots initially began inside the camps. Further, the exodus has intensified significantly since the past two weeks after three of the camp secretaries in Beldangi refugee camps were beaten up by refugee youths who are against accepting the option of third country resettlement.

Among the escapees are Beldangi camp sector III secretary Manorath Khanal, his family and neighbor Homnath Baral's family, the then acting camp secretary of sector II Pingala Dhital and his family. The three families were displaced after an angry mob demolished their huts inside the camp and beat up Khanal.

Although there is no specific data available about the those who have left camp, local refugees said that almost 100 petrified refugees from all the three camps in Beldangi of Jhapa have fled the camps so far. The refugees staying back in the camps are terrified as well.

According to a refugee Tek Bahadur Mainali, many of the refugees are taking shelter in other camps or nearby villages outside the camps.

Refugees have been living under insecurity following strong differences between those supporting third-country resettlement and others opposing it. Furthermore, rebellious parties, including Bhutan Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) and Bhutan Tigers' Front have intensified their activities inside the camps in the recent past, adding to the fear among the refugees.

Underground outfit warns against third country refugee resettlement

Source: Nepalnews.com
At a time when the alternative of resettling the Bhutanese refugees to third countries is being seriously considered, an outfit named Bhutan Tigers Force (BTF), a group said to be active in Bhutan in an underground manner, has warned the refugees against going for that option.

Posters and pamphlets said to be pasted by the outfit on the walls, trees and makeshift shacks in the refugee camps of Jhapa and Morang yesterday night warned that if the refugees opted for third country resettlement strong action would be taken against the agencies facilitating the resettlement.

However, the group didn’t explain why it was against the idea.

Resettling the refugees in a third country would only make the respectful return of refugees more difficult, hinder the movement waged for refugee repatriation and would be considered a conspiracy to wipe the identity of the refugees, it has been stated in the pamphlet.

An estimated 106,000 refugees have been living in Nepal since 1990 after being forcefully evicted from their homes by the Bhutanese government. U.S, Canada, Australia including few Nordic countries had proposed to take certain number of the Bhutanese refugees to their countries as part of the third country resettlement option after 15 rounds of bilateral negotiations between Nepalese and Bhutanese governments failed to resolve the refugee stalemate.

Refugees as well as their leaders remain divided over the third country option.