Based on the result of the 15thround of bilateral talk between Nepal and Bhutan, which was held in October 2003, Bhutan had agreed to return verified exiled Bhutanese from Khudunabari camp. The Joint Verification Team completed its assigned task and published the result of categorization, which drew a lot of criticism from the refugees, human rights groups and the international community. Interestingly, the scenario took another angle following the Khudunabari incidence, when some irate Bhutanese were compelled to pelt stones at Bhutanese members of the Joint Verification Team in December, the same year. Since then, Bhutan has been making various excuses including security concern for Bhutanese delegates to give continuity to Nepal-Bhutan bilateral talks.
The 17th SAARC Summit has added some rays of hope on exiled Bhutanese as Prime Ministers of both the countries, Jigmi Y Thinley and Dr Baburam Bhattarai, agreed to resume the stalled bilateral talks to find a lasting solution of the two-decade long refugee imbroglio. In this connection, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, clarifies the government’s preparations to sit for a decisive talk with Bhutan in the first week of December. His excerpts:
What is the government’s preparation on Bhutanese refugee issue to sit for the next bilateral talk?
Basically, we already have more or less the same principles that Nepal has been applying on the Bhutanese refugee issue. We will move ahead following the same principles. Our first priority is to address the issue of refugees who don’t choose to resettle but want to return to Bhutan from Nepal. However, the government will continue telling Bhutan that even resettled refugees, if they wish, should be accepted back home.
We already have the Nepal-Bhutan Joint Verification Team (JVT). The team had verified some refugees (of Khudunabari camp), and we’ll press Bhutan to repatriate those verified first. Then, the JVT should be reactivated to start the verification of remaining refugee population. We want to sit for a decisive talk to find the long-term solution of this problem.
The Prime Ministers of both the countries have agreed to sit for a meeting in the first week of December. Even, same thing was agreed during the conversation with the Bhutanese Foreign Minister in Maldives during the 17th SAARC Summit. The government will very soon write to Bhutan to schedule this meeting.
Nepal has failed to convince Bhutan even after sitting for 15 rounds of high-level talks. How committed are you to convince Bhutan on refugee issue this time?
As of now, Nepal and Bhutan don’t have any other issues except the refugee imbroglio. Nepal has been always hopeful that Bhutan will be ever positive to our deal. We have been asking Bhutan to settle this issue immediately. Now, the third country resettlement has simplified Bhutan’s problem to some extend as the camp population has been almost reduced to half.
What we have been stressing is that Bhutan should accept the verified refugees since verification was done by JVT that was agreed by the Bhutanese government. Based on this, if Bhutan goes serious in returning back its citizens, the relationship between the two countries will enhance further. Not only this, both being land-locked countries in the Himalayas, Nepal and Bhutan can raise common issue in the international arena. The government remains ever committed to convince Bhutan to find the lasting solution of the refugee issue.
At one hand, Nepal has been issuing Travel Document and Exit Permit to resettling refugees. On the other hand, the government is trying to sit for decisive talk to repatriate refugees to Bhutan.
Nepal always wants refugees to return Bhutan but only on voluntary basis. If they want, they can also travel and get resettled in various western countries. While issuing Travel Document and Exit Permit, the government makes sure that refugees have their self-chosen interest towards resettlement. This is because Nepal always respects their right to return back to their own hometowns with dignity and honor. Principally, we will not have any moral difficulties in shouldering both the tasks.
What is your opinion to bring India in the talk?
We haven’t discussed this matter with India yet. We are exercising to initiate bilateral talk on new scenario. The international community is also aware of India’s role to settle this issue. This is why even other countries have been raising this issue with Bhutan on regular basis. Definitely, India can play a pivotal role in this regard. The government will first re-energize the bilateral talk with Bhutan. If Bhutan remains firm in its past position (for not accepting refugees), we definitely need to explore other options.
If Bhutan accepts only a few thousands following settlement of majority of the camp population, doesn’t it mean that Nepal is indirectly supporting the so-called democracy in Bhutan?
This also depends on desires of the refugees. The government has never compelled them to accept the third country resettlement package. Even if resettled Bhutanese are not happy to remain in the country of their settlement but want to return to Bhutan, Nepal will also ensure their rights. And, the government will tackle the matter in the similar manner with the Bhutanese team in the up-coming talk.
Transcribed from Saranarthi Sandesh of November 16, 2011.
After reading the above Mahabharata (epic of Bhutanese refugee) skeptically I am of the view that it is as good as saying “to bring buffalo into shoulder of grasshopper”. However, Its good idea that Nepal has thought to make alive the dead ghost Bhutan which may be with some tantric and tricks . We have valid proof that Bhutan has been sharing the resettlement documents and information of resettled refugees who were forced to resettle through the IOM and UNHCR agencies at Nepal. Involving these agencies and all resettlement countries including refugee leadears and nepal Bhutan government talk may solve this problem instead of doing talk between two countries. This is because Bhutanese have no trust now on government of Nepal and Bhutan.History is evidence of it that these two countrie’s handful of politicians were primarily selling one another’s interest making people refugee victimizing poor and innocent population of bhutan since time immemorial. There had been agreement known as tampatra and sandhis for taking nepali population in bhutan. Where are they? where is extradition treaty between bhutan and nepal ? But Tek nath Rizal was sold by nepalese king to Bhutan. Where is the agreement between resettlement country and Nepal government? on waht basis bhutanese are being sold to third country? When a reporter asked above to the minister he replied that its bhutanese choice. If it is choice then where were options? Without options how can there be choice? our ledears of Nepal were sold by past rulers to the king of bhutan and in recent past there have been always deal between two government and no refugee solution. I just cant think what next deal would be?
The Nepalese ministers are like toddlers who are still in diapers in juxtaposition to the well educated and highly experienced (politically and diplomatically)Bhutanese ministers. These seasonal ministers have wounds deeper than the seti nadhi and the remedy to their wounds is nowhere in the offing. Unless a strong third party is involved directly, nothing can be achieved. I pity the suffering bhutanese.
He look like someone who can do a better job as a judge for Nepal star than a minister.
This will be another futile exercise. Tired of seeing this drama for all these years.
This is funny statement. I think Junai jogi aaya pani kanai Chiriyako.
Lotus Flower, there seems to be dearth of committed, patriotic leaders in Nepal. If they take one of our seasoned one on deputation he would surely defend them from seeking refuge of the DHOTI in their own land! No doubt, this is the corruption of Secularism and Democracy that is fast eating up the brains of the worldlings runing crazy after liberation from the Consolidated Orders under Established Governments.
No Bhutanese refugee will go back to Bhutan…..handful Bhutanese people still in eastern camps are also convinced that the third country resettlement is far more better option for them in compare to resettling in the ill mountainous, hazardous country like Bhutan. Its 21st generation guys we don’t have to run after mentally and politically ill ministers and leaders of either nations………they can’t even explain properly what democracy is…so lets not trust them…..they are devils and evils of of 21st century………….