In the early 1990s, Bhutan forcefully evicted one-sixth of its population for their support of human rights and justice. These individuals were further deported to eastern Nepal by India. They were housed in seven UNHCR-aided refugee camps. While UNHCR started resettling them in 2007, the program ended after resettling 113500 Bhutanese refugees in eight different countries, leaving around 7000 in the camps. UNHCR’s operation in the Bhutanese refugee camps ceased in December 2020, leaving the remaining 7000 at the mercy of the Nepal government.
The already disillusioned refugees were further devastated by the revelation of a fake Bhutanese refugee scandal. The Bhutanese refugees were not just shocked but felt a deep sense of betrayal to learn that the entire government machinery was implicated in the issuance of fake Bhutanese refugee identity cards to over 800 local Nepali citizens. These innocent, unemployed local people were lured into the scam with promises of resettlement in the USA in exchange for millions of Nepali rupees. The impact of this scandal on the genuine Bhutanese refugees was profound, as it further eroded their trust in the host government and their hope for a better future was completely eroded.
With this arrest, genuine Bhutanese refugees were left abandoned even by the Nepali government because the government officials responsible for the refugee issue were afraid that they might also be dragged into the scam investigation. Their expired refugee identity cards haven’t been renewed, and those with valid ID cards wanting to go for family reunions and other complementary pathways were not being issued travel documents. Those officials responsible for refugee documentation were even afraid to speak with the Bhutanese refugees, let alone about providing their services to them.
At present, the welfare of these remaining Bhutanese refugees is in a dire state, with not enough support from either UNHCR or the Nepal government. Many are desperate for resettlement, some yearning for family reunions, and others longing for repatriation to their homeland, Bhutan. However, their hopes are dashed further when their five-year-valid refugee identity cards expire after five years and have not been renewed. Even refugee children who are eligible for refugee identity cards are not issued.
Therefore, I recommend that UNHCR urge the Nepal Government to immediately resume issuing/renewing Refugee Identity Cards to those Bhutanese refugees whose cards have expired and to the eligible ones and also to advise the Nepal Government to issue travel documents to the Bhutanese refugees to opt for complementary pathways and further invite it to next year’s Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CPCR) to answer questions on the issue raised above. Furthermore, I request that UNHCR take immediate measures to find a permanent solution to this protracted issue and resume its relief and protection until such solutions are found.
The article is the excerpt of the remarks delivered by Ram Karki during Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) that took place in Geneva on 5-7 June 2024.
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