U.S. urges Bhutan to take tangible steps to address Bhutanese refugee problems

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Kelly Clements has urged Bhutan to take tangible immediate steps to resolve the protracted problem of Bhutanese refugees.

During her meeting with Bhutanese government leaders, Clements urged Bhutan to help resolve the two-decade old refugee crisis as a sign of Bhutan’s commitment to democratic values and human rights. Though some 45,000 have already resettled in various eight countries including in the US, several thousand others are still languishing in refugee camps in eastern Nepal after being forcefully evicted from southern Bhutan in 1990.

According to a press statement issued by US Embassy in Kathmandu, the government to Bhutan reiterated its April 2011 offer to the government of Nepal to reengage in bilateral discussions as soon as possible on the modalities for the voluntary return and reintegration of refugees with legitimate citizenship claims to Bhutan. “The government of Bhutan also agreed to examine other ways to resolve this humanitarian situation in a humane and expedient manner, especially for the most vulnerable,” said the statement.

The statement added that Clements stressed that the U.S. government and the international community are ready to help the governments of Bhutan and Nepal to support a process to manage the return and reintegration of refugees once agreements are reached.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Clements visited Bhutan from June 2 to 5 and Nepal from June 5 to 6 to discuss humanitarian protection and assistance issues for refugees and other vulnerable populations in the region.

While in Nepal, Clements held meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara and expressed the appreciation of the U.S. government to the Nepalese government for cooperation on resettlement and support for efforts to find durable solutions for all refugees in the camps.

Clements also highlighted the appreciation of the U.S. government for the government of Nepal's commitment to ensure the safe transit of new arrivals to India and to respect the basic rights of Tibetans resident in Nepal. She also expressed concern of the U.S. government for the population of stateless persons during the meeting, according to the statement.