Various human rights organizations have urged the donor agencies of Bhutan to stall their assistance and pressurize Bhutan to take back its citizens languishing at the refugee camps of eastern Nepal in the upcoming round table meeting.

A statement issued by the various human rights organization to draw the attention of development partners said during the last Round Table meeting of Bhutan’s development partners held in Geneva in February 2003, delegates expressed concern at the unconscionably long delay in resolving this humanitarian and human rights crisis; but however three years after, these problems remain unresolved.

Stating that some of Bhutan’s partners also raised the issue of alleged ongoing discrimination against ethnic minorities in Bhutan, including in relation to the issuance of ID cards, and urged that the principle of equal treatment irrespective of ethnic origin be established in the new Constitution, the rights bodies urged the development partners to play a part in resolving the longstanding Bhutanese refugee crisis.

The statement further said, “Elements of Bhutan’s draft Constitution, published in July 2005, tend to confirm our doubts about the possibility of Lhotshampas retaining or reacquiring their citizenship.”

“The provisions of the draft Constitution, if followed to the letter, would make it very difficult for Lhotshampas to reacquire citizenship status of which they had been deprived,” the statement adds.

Stating that the refugees in the camps have been living in limbo for fifteen years, unable to plan for the future or take control over their lives, the rights bodies said sustained international pressure is the only realistic means for achieving a rapid and durable solution to the Bhutanese refugee crisis and for ensuring that members of the Lhotshampa community in Bhutan enjoy their full citizenship rights.

The statement was issued on behalf of Amnesty International, Bhutanese Refugee Support Group (UK and Ireland) Caritas Internationalis, Human Rights Watch, International Catholic Migration Commission, Jesuit Refugee Service and The Lutheran World Federation.

These rights organizations urged Bhutan’s development partners to press Bhutan to immediately repatriate the Khudunabari camp refugees verified as having a right to return to Bhutan.

The rights organizations also called on Bhutan, Nepal and UNHCR to adopt a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for voluntary repatriation that includes a clear statement of rights and entitlements upon the refugees’ return to Bhutan – including full citizenship rights and human rights protection.

Over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees of Nepali origin are languishing in the seven UNHCR-maintained camps in eastern Nepal for the last 15 years. There have been over a dozen rounds of bilateral talks between Nepal and Bhutan in as many years, but to no avail.