Executive Chairman ofBhutan National Democratic Party DNS Dhakalhas said that the Bhutanese refugees who have been resettled in various Western and European nations should be granted the right to return to Bhutan.

“The Bhutanese government should allow them to return to Bhutan by giving status of non-resident Bhutanese so that Bhutan can also benefit from their contribution,” Dhakal said in a media interaction in Kathmandu on Friday.

Around 90,000 Bhutanese refugees, who were living in camps in Jhapa, have left for various Western countries as part of third-country resettlement programme.

“We urge the Bhutanese regime that it should not be rigid on this proposal of grating the status of non-resident Bhutanese to thousands of refugees who will ultimately contribute to Bhutanese economy and its social development.

The Bhutan should also be ready to accept the exiled Bhutanese who are really seeking repatriation,” Dhakal said. Nepali authorities have also been pressing Bhutan to resume the stalled talks so that the remaining refugees could have dignified life in Bhutan and those who have opted for third-country resettlement could visit the country.

The benchmark for the forthcoming verification of the refugees living in two camps in Jhapa should be Bhutanese and non-Bhutanese, Dhakal said.  He also said that around 28,000 Nepali speaking Bhutanese nationals are awaiting final decision to acquire Bhutanese citizenship.

To that end, Dhakal said, a proposal has been tabled at the office of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchunk.

The exiled Bhutanese political parties and their leaders are also preparing to meet some Kathmandu-based diplomats, senior Nepali politicians and officials to pave way for a fresh round of negotiation between Nepal and Bhutan.

Dhakal, who is busy setting up a refugee museum in Jhapa, hopes that the planned meetings with diplomatic community, political parties and policy makers will bear fruits as their movement for right to return has entered a new phase.

Published on: 28 February 2015 | The Kathmandu Post