A Letter from Fr.Varkey

Dear All,

After a long waiting and expectation I am happy to say things have started developing in a more concrete way towards durable solution for the Bhutanese Refugee Issue. As per Mr. James Moriaty, Ambassador of US to Nepal, who was in one of the Bhutanese Refugee camps - Beldangi I, the US Government is set to start the resettlement process immediately. To begin the resettlement process, the US Government has chosen the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to open its office in Kathmandu from the Month of July. The same organization will open similar office in the District of Jhapa in September.

By next week it is expected that UNHCR will distribute the commitment form to be signed and returned to it by those families who are interested to make use of this opportunity. UNHCR has already started Mass Information Campaign in all the camps to disseminate the needed information so that the people can make an informed choice.

The core countries - Denmark, Canada, Australia, Newzealand, Netherlands, Norway are expected to announce the numbers they would be interested to resettle within a short while.

In the mean time those who are exclusively advocating for repatriation are quite agitated and as a result there is tangible tension in the camps. It is a matter of concern for all of us. What I suppose when the resettlement process catches momentum, this apparent tension will settle down.

The visit of the UNHCR High Commissioner to Nepal and Goldhap Refugee Camp got sufficient publicity and his message to the refugees was well taken by the refugees. He was supposed to meet the Bhutanese Authorities yesterday. We have not heard the outcome of his visit to Bhutan.

I shall keep you all informed of the subsequent development in the days and months to come. Keep us all in your prayers.

With kind regards,

Fr. Varkey Perekkatt SJ