Refugee settlement to begin soon
US envoy to Nepal Nancy J Powell has informed that her government will start resettlement of the Bhutanese refugees very soon.
Speaking at the formal inauguration of the office of the Overseas Processing Entity (OPE), International Organisation of Migration in its case in Damak on Wednesday, Powell said at least 10,000 refugee will be flown in the first phase of resettlement.
According to reports, Nepal government has agreed to start the resettlement from March this year.
Stating that resettlement was a compulsion seeing no prospect of repatriation in the last 18 years, Powell said the US will not abandon its efforts to get the refugees repatriated even after they are resettled.
She claimed if the refugees are repatriated under the present circumstance in Bhutan, they might face eviction again.
The new chief of the UNHCR in Nepal Daisy Dale said the refugees were free to opt for either repatriation or third-country settlement and assured the refugees to discuss the issue with refugees when she visits camps soon.
Earlier in the morning, Powel called on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and urged the government to help speed up the resettlement programme. nepalnews.com ia Jan 10 08
Related News
- Powell talks CA polls, NA-PLA integration with PM
