by Kalpit Parajuli

The decision is announced after Bhutanese PM Jumgmi Y Thinley visits Nepal. Refugees dismiss the proposal as a PR operation to gain international support.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – The government Bhutan said it was ready to deal with the issue of 50,000 Bhutanese-born ethnic Nepali refugees languishing in Nepali refugee camps for the past 20 years. Bhutanese Prime Minister Jugmi Y Thinley made an announcement to that effect at the end of his three-day visit to Nepal on Saturday.  In it, he said that his government was willing to work with Nepali authorities over the possible repatriation but that he expected tight controls in the camps to prevent the entry of criminals and terrorists.

Among the refugees, the overtures by the government in Timphu are seen as mere PR to court favour with the international community. “The truth is that Bhutanese authorities do not want any repatriation,” said Tek Nath Rijal, a leader in the refugee community and a human rights activist. “On its own, Nepal will not be able to put pressure to get us re-established in Bhutan.” Instead, “International support and India are the key to resolve the problem,” he said, adding, “Our involvement is very important as well.”

Ethnic Nepali refugees from Bhutan became a problem when King Jigme Singye Wangchuck carried out a Bhutanisation campaign between 1977 and 1991 to create a Buddhist state free of foreign influences.

During that period, more than 80,000 people were expelled.  Anyone who tried to come back was jailed and tortured.

Despite Bhutan’s move towards democracy in 2006, its government has rejected for 15 times Nepal’s requests for talks on repatriation.

It has justified its stance by claiming that terrorists are hiding among the refugees. It also dismissed appeals and open letters signed by human rights activists and associations.

To avoid a humanitarian crisis, the international community resettled some 30,000 refugees in 2009 and 2010.

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