BIRTAMOD, DEC 02 - The meeting of the Nepal-Bhutan Joint Verification team (JVT) that concluded here today set February 15, 2004 as the deadline for verifying the status of 2,948 refugees from 87 families in Khudunabari refugee camp who have been kept under Category 3 or non-Bhutanese.
According to Nepali officials, the meeting also decided to start the verification of the 20,904 refugees of the Shanischare camp in Morang district after completing the review of the applications filed by the Category 3 refugees.
The 15th round of joint ministerial meeting which concluded in the Bhutanese capital of Thimpu last October paved the way for much-awaited repatriation of refugees by February 2004 and agreed to re-examine the appeals forwarded by the Category 3 refugees.
A Nepali official in the JVT revealed that their Bhutanese counterparts were more "flexible" now than before.
The Nepali side was led by Sushil Jung Rana, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Home while Dr Sonam Tenzing, Director at Bhutan’s Home Ministry led the Bhutanese.Meanwhile, in a statement issued today in Kathmandu, Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP) hailed the statement issued by the Human Rights Council of Bhutan (HRCB) which asked the eligible refugees from the Khudunabari camp to return home.Posted on: 2003-12-01 11:09

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