Government of Nepal and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have started discussion on implementation of the Community Base Development Programs (CBDP) in a bid to address the problems of the local communities of Jhapa and Morang, which have been hosting thousands of Bhutanese refugees for two decades.
However, such programs were said to be transitional for a period of maximum five years.
The concept of CBDP was floated during an inaugural session of the three-day discussion series jointly organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and UNHCR that begun in Kathmandu, Monday.
According to Home Secretary of Nepal, Lila Mani Paudyal, the proposed CBDP under discussion were figured about through a recent joint needs assessment conducted by various stakes holders including the Ministry of Home Affairs and UNHCR.
Speaking at the program, Secretary Paudyal highlighted the need of CBDP stating that the local communities have hosted the refugee community for more than two decades, and would be doing for more years.
The CBDP would benefit people of various nine VDCs and three municipalities of Jhapa and Morang districts.
UNHCR Country Representative to Nepal, Stephane Jaquemet, said that the agency was indebted towards the host community for sheltering the exiled Bhutanese in their localities for 20 years.
He said, “When we are taking of camp merge and consolidation, the UNHCR is equally concerned about initiating some development programmes to address the demands of local communities.”
US Ambassador to Nepal, Scott H DeLisi, appreciated the role the GoN has been playing in coordination with various line ministries for effective hosting of the refugees from various countries.
Assuring financial commitment for the CBDP, “The international community including the United States is thankful for the host communities that have accepted refugees for years.”
Also, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to Nepal, Robert Piper, said that the UN would play a crucial role to materialise the project.
According Stephane, there would be just two camps, Beldangi of Jhapa and Sanischare of Morang, by the mid-2012 and just 10,000 would be in camps by 2015, especially those who do not choose to resettle.
He also said that Goldhap camp would be completely shifted to Beldangi within this week.
