Government officials and representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have said they would resume the Joint Verification Team (JVT) to determine status of Bhutanese asylum seekers at the earliest.
Conducting a joint briefing session on Friday in Beldangi-II, officials informed the Camp Management Committee (CMC) and general refugees that the official registration process would begin very soon. However, they didn’t disclose the timeframe.
According to a CMC member, asylum seekers have been asked to fill up forms for their registration from Monday onwards in their respective camps.
“The JVT will give priority to those who were granted registration at Kakarvitta during their arrival in Nepal and those who were absent during 2006-2008 registration process,” another CMC member quoted an official of the Refugee Coordination Unit (RCU) as saying.
According to officials, both the RCU and UNHCR have almost completed preparations to resume the stalled verification process at the earliest. It is learnt that they have rented a separate building in Damak already.
However, Durga Devi Bista, who led fasting-to-death for 12 days in November last year and another seven days last month, accused UNHCR and government officials of conducting closed-door session without letting herself and her team members to attend the briefing.
“My repeated requests to enter the meeting hall went in vain as Armed Police Force allowed only the selected persons, especially those with refugee status, to attend the meeting” Bista told Bhutan News Service.
“It looks that we’ll again be ignored,” added she, “I doubt the briefing session was just meant for camp management committee and registered refugees.”
It is estimated that over 3,000 Bhutanese asylum seekers, and Nepalese and Indian women married to exiled Bhutanese would take part during the registration process, which is believed to be the last opportunity for all pending cases.
Even with repeated attempts, BNS could not reach government officials at Jhapa district for their comments.
