1 TRANSLATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ... - APFA News

Furthermore, there are many non-Bhutanese people in the camps in eastern
Nepal who are claiming to be Bhutanese refugees simply because they had
worked and lived in Bhutan for some time. There is no justification for these
people to be recognized as Bhutanese refugees. He pointed out that in the early
1960s, when Bhutan first started its process of socio-economic development,
there was acute shortage of educated and trained manpower. Various Ministries
and Departments of the Royal Government recruited many outsiders as teachers,
doctors, engineers and a large workforce as labourers. When these people went
back after having completed their work contracts, none of them claimed to be
Bhutanese refugees. Similarly, even today non-nationals constitute about 8
percent of the civil service in Bhutan and there is a large number of non-
nationals still working in the country. Such people cannot claim to be Bhutanese
refugees when they return to their respective countries or places of origin.
People cannot claim to be Bhutanese refugees simply on the ground that they
had lived or worked in Bhutan.
He also informed the members that, according to the report of the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees, the international assistance extended to
the refugee camps in eastern Nepal amounts to US$ 20-22 million annually.
When converted to Ngultrum, it amounts to Nu. 950-1000 million, which is a
very substantial amount indeed. With such generous support and good facilities
available in the camps, many people had naturally congregated in the camps,
claiming to be refugees. The hon’ble members of the house must, therefore,
give serious consideration to the implication of the term “refugee”.
The Chimis of Samdrup Jongkhar and Sarpang Dzongkhags also recalled that
besides the destruction of schools, health centres, bridges and other
development infrastructure carried out by the Ngolops, they had murdered and
robbed innocent people and attacked government servants and members of the
security forces. Later, when the supporters of the Ngolops applied to emigrate,
His Majesty the King went all the way to their doorsteps and called on them to
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