Refugees want to go back home : UNHCR chief

The visiting UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres has said that most of the refugees living in the refugee camps in eastern Nepal want to go back home.

Addressing a press meet on Wednesday, Guterres said while talking with the refugees in his visit to the refugee camps on Wednesday he found that most of the refugees want to go back home rather than resettle to third country.

He said that the UNHCR will stand by its belief that the refugees have the right to return to their homeland.

He also said he would appeal to the Bhutan government for a constructive attitude in finding out a comprehensive solution to the Bhutanese refugee issue.

The UN High Commissioner said he was hopeful that the government of Bhutan will accept the issue positively and help to rehabilitate the Bhutanese refugees in their homeland.

Talking about the possible role of India to resolve crisis, Guterres informed that India, as a country in this region, too, must have a positive attitude on the issue.

“India is a member of our executive committee and a responsible country of this region, and government of India is positive to out request”, he added, “It is a complex situation not an easy thing, all the countries needs to be engaged for positive and constructive role to be played.”  

He, however, said that he has no political agenda in his visit. "But let me clarify that I am not here with a political agenda but with a humanitarian one," he said.

Saying that the refugees should be free to decide on repatriation or third country resettlement, the UNHCR chief said it was their (UNHCR) responsibility to provide best possible opportunity to the refugees. “ Out job is to provide best possible opportunities to them (refugees) but the choice is theirs, it depends upon individual choice.”, Guterres said.

Guterres, who had visited the Goldhap refugee camp in Jhapa on Wednesday, said UNHCR is engaged in improving the lot of the refugees and helping them in fighting malnutrition and sexual violence, among others.