South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) conducted a research to investigate the current state of the Bhutanese refugees of Nepal origin. Bhutan’s reputation as a “Happy Shangri- La” conceals one of South Asia’s most persistent human rights tragedies — the forced expulsion and statelessness of the Lhotshampas, an ethnic Nepali minority. However, decades after their displacement, the Bhutanese government’s denial and recent deportations have reignited global concern about justice, belonging, and the meaning of happiness.
The report discusses the present situation of Bhutanese refugees of Nepali origin, the position of the government of Bhutan, a critique of India’s silence, the involvement of Nepal in addressing the crisis, and Nepal’s role in resettlement.
This report identifies potential pathways for positive change. In order to facilitate their rights and entitlements within Nepal, the government of Nepal should meet the needs of the refugees who are currently confined to camps, such as issuing travel documents, birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and refugee ID card renewals. SAHR advocates that the Lhotshampa refugees in Nepal should be given the right to work in order to fulfill their right to a good life and a decent standard of living. The scam in Nepal involving the fabrication of Nepali citizens as refugees should be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted; the refugees themselves should not be subjected to additional discrimination as a result of this racket.
The publication can be accessed here.