wfn.org | LWF seeks international intervention for Bhutanese refugees

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

No progress after eight years of bilateral process between
governments

GENEVA, 14 April 1999 (lwi)   The Lutheran World Federation (LWF),
DanChurchAid, the Jesuit Refugee Service, Oxfam, Save the Children UK
and the World Christian Life Community have called on the
international community to intervene in finding a just and durable
solution for Bhutanese refugees in the camps in eastern Nepal and
elsewhere.

In a joint oral intervention to the 55th Session of the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), meeting here from 22
March to 30 April, the six organizations
 pointed out that the royal governments of Nepal and, in particular
Bhutan, "must be encouraged, supported, exhorted and cajoled to
ensure that refugees may enjoy their fundamental human rights not to
be subjected to ethnic discrimination, not to be arbitrarily deprived
of their nationality, and to return to their homes."

The six organizations which are involved in supporting, directly and
indirectly, the Bhutanese refugees also took issue with the existence
of a "bilateral process" between the governments of Nepal and Bhutan
since 1993. "It should now, after eight years, be abundantly clear
that the so called 'bilateral process' exists in name only" as there
has been no progress towards a durable solution for the refugees
beyond the establishment of four categories into which the refugee
population will be divided were a verification to take place, the
intervention to the UNCHR states in part.

In a chairman's statement during the 1998 session of the Sub-
Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
Minorities, the Sub-Commission urged the two governments concerned to
negotiate in good faith towards a peaceful solution, consistent with
international human rights standards and encouraged them to set up an
impartial verification process and make more effective and urgent
efforts to negotiate the return of the verified Bhutanese refugees.

The LWF, through its Department for World Service (DWS), is among the
organizations which continue to provide care and support for the
estimated 90,000 Bhutanese refugees living in the camps in eastern
Nepal.

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/